Change of Engagement
by Vocarin
Summary: Snippets and pieces of Persona 3, showing Death's host and the Kirijo heiress and that sometimes one's own humanity is enough to make a difference. That absolute destruction isn't enough to stop one simple truth. That two in harmony surpasses one in perfection.
1. Salute

**Author's Notes:** Hey all. I know, last thing I need is a second project taking up more of my time. But I have a good reason for it. Oh, and standard disclaimers apply.

In a sense, it feels like coming back to my roots since I first wanted to write a P3 fic and just never got around to it. And my first online editing gig was for a P3 fic that has long since been discontinued. So part of this can be blamed on/credited to Enact for encouraging me, and the rest of it is largely my own fault for indulging my muse. Suffice it to say, this won't be as comprehensive as Continuance, since that is still my primary focus. But this is proving to be fun as well, so we'll see how far this goes on for.

As ever, read, review, comment, and I hope you enjoy the show!

**Chapter 1 – Salute**

It was the simple truth of the world that some things were too complicated to thrive on their own. Governments, education, cities, businesses, and people all bowed to this universal rule. Weaknesses had to be shored up, strengths needed direction, and inexperience required tutelage. No man was an island, and only fools believed that standing strong meant standing alone. People needed other people. It was this simple philosophy that greeted him every day he entered his office. The same belief that he stopped to look at each morning, scribed and emblazoned on the surface of his office desk, an eight-legged monstrosity made of dark oak and polished like dress shoes every second day.

_Two in harmony surpasses one in perfection._

His scowl deepened beneath his eye patch. It was this belief that his own father could never accept. The man believed in himself, certainly, but only in himself, no matter how many people had given everything to help him succeed. That egomania drove him to the insanity that was Shadow research, an end pursued without any regard for the high cost that came with it. The cost that they were all still paying with interest.

Kirijo Takeharu growled to himself, pushing the memories away as he made his way through the tall doors behind his desk. Only one light on the wall greeted him as he moved through his inner sanctum – it was too early for most of the staff to be there yet, and there was something to be done that didn't involve them. If the corporation were like a person, then it needed its separate parts to function properly, especially somewhere that the decisions were made and the information was passed on from one part of the body to the next. In this case, the skull and the brain.

He tossed his coat onto the back of his chair and tapped a number of keys on the elaborate computer bank. It was cutting edge, probably the most advanced of its kind that he could afford to have in his own office, along with its twin in the spare room at the Dorm. But it was enough to serve its purpose. Lights flickered, text ran the length and breadth of the screen, and the innards of his comm. station clicked and hummed with life. "Minatodai Dormitory," he told the voice-printed hardware. "Find me Ikutsuki."

It took two seconds of computing and a fraction of that to send the message. The remaining nine minutes were spent waiting for the dorm's guardian and director to actually answer the call. Granted, the call was at a far earlier time than their scheduled reports, but the man was often so deep in his research that he never left his floor of the dorm, let alone the actual building, so contacting him was usually a sure thing.

"Kirijo-san," the administrator finally said, stepping into the field of view of the dorm's comm. station cameras. He looked alert, but the early hour was easy enough to see in his rumpled suit and frayed hair that had escaped a brief and hurried brushing. "To what do I owe the pleasure of this call?"

First thing in the morning, before even the most dedicated salary men were awake, and he was still sharp. Takeharu didn't compliment many people (so few actually deserved it), but for all Ikutsuki's self-effacing behaviours and intense research, he adapted well to situations. "Some details have arisen, and they couldn't wait until we spoke next to address. Additionally, you should be lauded for handling the dorm and the Iwatodai situation as well as you have. I hear Mitsuru and Akihiko are preparing for future explorations and operations in Tatarus. It's reassuring that you've adapted to the changes so smoothly."

Ikutsuki bowed a little at the compliment. "Thank you, sir. It's been an honour to be part of this project. But I confess, we owe much of it to Mitsuru-san. She has a gift for organizing the others, and Akihiko-kun respects her."

"Of course. Commend her on her performance when you have the chance," Takeharu told him. "Also, make sure the others are made aware: you'll be receiving a new guest in the next week. The paperwork will be attended to on this end, but his placement and activities once he arrives will be your responsibility."

Ikutsuki's eyes widened slightly before narrowing in thought behind his glasses. "A new guest? Would this 'guest' happen to–"

Takeharu shook his head, cutting the man off. "I'll give the details when Mitsuru arrives. There's no need to say this twice."

An icon on the comm. screen flashed in the corner, indicating another person in the room. Had she just arrived? Or perhaps she'd been there the entire time. She never missed the details, especially when they were under her own roof. "I'm here, Father," she told him as she stepped into sight. "Is there something specific about this guest you wanted to address?"

He saw often saw her for their regular status reports, but every time he could was a gift, so he allowed himself a moment to take her in, dressed and alert even this early. She looked… strong. Tall, in control, and a gleam of intelligence in those eyes that always reminded him of her mother. _Eimi…_ "He has the potential," Takeharu told them, pushing the memory aside to deal with the matter at hand. "He was identified ten years ago and has been under the Group's care since then. We've been monitoring his progress up to now, and with Tartarus appearing, it's time to see what he can do."

"I've never heard of such a person, sir," Ikutsuki pointed out. "If he has the potential, why was he not tested earlier? Do we even know how far his abilities go? Has he manifested a Persona yet?"

Mitsuru had stared at the screen, gathering and processing the information before speaking, never so much as a hitch in her voice. "How did we become aware of him? This is the first I've heard of anyone like this as well."

The Kirijo chairman glanced over at the open dossier next to him, left from the night before, but didn't bother reading it – he knew its contents well enough. "Arisato Minato. He lost his parents in a car crash on the Moonlight Bridge ten years ago. After the incident, his assessors felt he was too psychologically fragile to check for any clear sign of ability. When he was old enough to be tested, some of the results were inconclusive, while others showed that he has power, but hasn't manifested a Persona yet. Because of this, he was relegated as a lower priority until now. He's become quite capable, and potential for another Persona-user cannot be ignored. Since he didn't respond to the tests before, there's little reason to think that will change now. That's why he's coming to you. Maybe the Shadows and Tartarus will bring out in him what the labs couldn't."

"It would make sense to have other combatants to draw from should something happen," Ikutsuki mused. "While Akihiko-kun is displaying more progress than expected, Yukari-san still isn't a viable combatant yet. Thus our explorations of Tartarus have been sparse at best."

"So Takeba is still there," Takeharu noted aloud, as though he didn't already know. "Good. How well is she performing?"

"She's struggling with her Evoker," Mitsuru informed him simply. "She understands the need for it, but is having trouble pulling the trigger. She shows a great deal of determination when I've spoken to her, however, so I do believe that she'll take that step when it's necessary."

"What else do we know about Arisato?" Ikutsuki inquired. "Is there anything we should be aware of when he arrives?"

"I'll send you the file," the chairman promised. "As far as necessities and preferences go, he's not very demanding. He's shown an aptitude for academics and sports, makes friends when he applies himself, and has consistently performed well on the tests we've arranged for him. There have been some concerns surrounding his social expressiveness, however."

"How so?"

"Arisato's been consistently described as very monotone," he explained. "His facial expressions don't change much in relation to his mood. Since we first began observing him, he's never shown frustration or anger even when he got into fights. He's also never talked much about his parents or family up to the accident, and the assessors have noted that his voice doesn't change much in conversation. A consistent observation is that he has a sharp sense of humour, so their interest in him remains strong but inconclusive."

Mitsuru crossed her arms and raised her eyebrows. "They even tested his voice?"

Her father nodded. "They wanted to check his memories and measure his sociability, and while all his assessments show him as intelligent and functional, he's known for being very subdued in his facial expressions, even when he's engaged with whatever he's working on. His handlers noted that even when he was making jokes, his expressions, to use their words, seem muted."

"Those are some considerable lengths to go to for one student," Ikutsuki ventured. "Did they suspect that he might be suffering from trauma from the accident? And were there any signs that he might be hiding something or misleading them?"

Takeharu glanced to the side as his computer clock flashed. Nearly time to go. "Every evaluator he's seen has raised that possibility, but there's no proof. He hasn't reported having nightmares, and follow-up sessions suggest he's not suffering from PTSD. We don't have any records of him prior to the accident, so it could be that he's always been a social anomaly. And there've been no signs of him hiding any tendencies consistent with depression or psychological disorders. It's possible that he simply has a different threshold compared to normal people. Regardless, Mitsuru, I leave his handling to you. He should be a valuable asset under the right circumstances, so do what you can."

"Of course, Father. We'll look after him."

She looked about to say something else, but he stood up from his chair. "I'll be in touch for your next report. Be safe until then." And he cut the connection before grabbing his coat from the back of his chair and heading for the door. There were meetings to attend to, people to see, and competitors to deal with. His time with his daughter was over – work awaited.

* * *

One might think that being born with blue hair meant he'd be a magnet for strange things. Up until now, that hadn't been the case. In fact, he was arguably pretty normal despite his curious colouring. That wasn't to say that nothing happened at all, of course. Just that it never hit him all at once. He'd had weird days before now. But tests at the clinic that involved him listening to continuous loops of J-Pop and Western orchestral music, questions on how he felt around guns, and regular inquiries on his dreams and any memories he felt like talking about had made up the majority of them. Even being informed that he was moving to Tatsumi Port Island and enrolling in a new school for no clear reason, while odd, didn't qualify as 'strange'.

Complimentary train rides across the country and piles of paperwork to transfer to a new residence, that was all he expected. But pools of blood that hadn't been there before and his earphones cutting out when the night went hazy and green proved that his previous experiences couldn't even scratch the surface of weirdness. He'd wanted to credit his music dying out to his new batteries (that stupid pink bunny could choke on that drum set – they stopped 'going' pretty early for him) and blame the green haze on local pollution or the in-transit meal he'd forced down. But that didn't explain the weird glow that the moon held. Or all the upright coffins along the streets as he followed his directions. Or his cell phone dying when he checked the time. Or the glowing slivers of light following the shimmering blue butterfly he'd almost run into once he'd turned the corner a few blocks from his destination. His fluttering friend circled him a few times, then continued down the street he was planning on following. By then he was numb to the weirdness surrounding him and was just going with it, so all he could do was shrug and go after it. They were going the same direction, and maybe he'd be able to find some people and some answers.

Of course, what small sense of normalcy he'd attained by following a flying blue insect was trashed by the kid behind the desk insisting on his signature. And that 'contract' didn't look like the waivers and dorm residency papers he'd signed before he got on the train. His fluttering friend, big surprise, was nowhere to be seen. The kid kept quiet when Minato asked what the forms were for (so much for getting those answers), and just repeated his instructions in that same weird voice when asked about the coffins or the green haze outside or where the butterfly was. For how serious the kid was taking his job, Minato had been about to ask if he should sign the contract in his own blood, but the creepy vibe he got from Junior's pale eyes kept his mouth shut – he probably wouldn't like the answer if the kid took him seriously. And the little vanishing act that the kid pulled right after he got his signature made Minato especially glad that he didn't ask.

But at least the power was back on. He winced against the lights snapping back on and had just grabbed his bags, about to call out and ask if anyone was home and who was to blame for the blackout, when he heard a strangled gasp paired with a distinct _click_. He snapped still and felt ice shiver down his spine. He looked over slowly, noting the slender brunette he hadn't seen come down the stairs, and the pale blue handgun she was clutching in two shaking hands. The handgun she was pointing at him.

Great. Just great. Like being tossed out a plane, having his fall broken by a flock of geese, and landing in a pool of fajita sauce to be served to cannibalistic circus performers.

"_Don't worry; it's not loaded."_

Says the kid who vanishes into the walls and dresses like an escaped convict. And a little more warning would've been nice. Or even an introduction – he wasn't picky.

Yeah, thanks Junior. Big help.

So he tried for as much tact as he could, considering the situation. "Uh, hi there." She didn't answer. Just kept shaking and staring at him like he'd stepped out of her nightmares. Minato held his hands out as non-threateningly as he could and reminded himself not to move. "I'm not going to hurt you, you know. I'm not sure if I can from back here. See?"

She finally took a breath and started speaking. "D… don't…"

"_Takeba!_"

The girl flinched, and for a moment it looked like she'd shoot him accidentally. But she pulled the gun back and holstered it in a frantic rush instead.

So… no gun now. No coffins, no green haze or weird moon or blue butterflies or disappearing kids. Finally, he let out a breath and stepped back to the desk by the door. Once his heart rate settled to a nice, moderate 400 beats per minute, he looked at the two ladies who were staring at him curiously. The brunette was of average height and dressed in runners and a pink sweater. She looked surprisingly fresh considering how late it was. There was a red armband on her left sleeve, but he couldn't see the wording on it. She was cute enough, and was probably pretty popular when she wasn't using her fellow man for target practice.

But it was the other girl that caught his eye. Tall, especially in those boots, pale skin that suited the pressed shirt she wore, calm features and long red hair that rested partway down her front and back and matched the ribbon tied in a bow at her collar very nicely. And her eyes were almost the same shade as her hair, gleaming with a maturity and personal control that he couldn't help but notice. Close as he could tell, she was around his age, maybe a year older, and she commanded the room just by being in it. He couldn't blame Takeba for following her orders - she certainly had his attention, and he didn't even know her name.

"I apologize for that," the redhead told him calmly, gesturing to her calming companion. "We weren't expecting you until tomorrow morning. And things have been tense in the neighbourhood lately, so Takeba takes dorm security very seriously."

"Seriously enough to warrant firearms in the hands of high school students?" he asked as calmly as he could, which, he'd been told, was somewhere between 'placid' and 'dead.'

"It's quite a story," she replied smoothly. "But the lobby isn't the best place for such a discussion. Come in and make yourself comfortable. This is Takeba Yukari, and I'm Kirijo Mitsuru. Welcome to the Minatodai Dormitory. You must be Arisato Minato."

"That's right. It's a pleasure to meet you both," he told them as he bowed as best he could, loaded down with his bags. "And I appreciate the welcome; so far it's been the most memorable part of my day."

"Uh… sorry about that," Yukari mumbled before trying to find something to do with her hands, caught between putting them in her pockets or crossing them or linking them behind her back. "It's been a rough week, and I thought… well, sorry."

"No problem. I guess." He let a breath out and looked around for the kid again. "It could have been a lot worse, and I thought they would have sent my schedule ahead of time. By the way, whose little brother was that?"

"Who?" Yukari asked, looking around. Junior hadn't reappeared since the lights came back on. Figures. Maybe he was shy?

"None of the residents have any siblings," Mitsuru informed him, a curious edge to her stare. "And no one here is under 16. What did he look like?"

Minato gave a quick description, adding "He was sitting at the desk when I got here, and asked me to sign a contract. Seemed pretty insistent, so I just assumed he was filling in for someone." Never mind that vanishing into thin air like the Cheshire Cat himself was a pretty hard act to follow. If they didn't know about the kid, then they probably wouldn't believe him if he shared those particular details.

"We'll keep an eye out for him," Mitsuru assured him, turning and raising a hand toward the stairs. "But you must be tired after today. I'll show you to your room, and we'll cover the details in the morning."

* * *

'Covering the details' was a pretty broad way of putting it, because the details that were covered pertained to the mundane matters of the dorm. Things like where his room was, how to get to his new school, and making sure he had the right keys. Mitsuru-senpai, as open as she was to his questions, didn't answer the issue that had been on his mind since the power came back on that night: who trusted a teenager with a handgun, and what was she so afraid of that she'd pull it on the new guy if they were expecting him to be there?

Well, that was two questions. And there was a third one on his mind: whose idea was it to stock the fridge with nothing but protein drinks, spinach-leaf salad, and pocky? Where was the milk and eggs and bread? Why was there pocky in the fridge in the first place, and whose was it?

But whatever questions he had after breakfast, Ikutsuki, the dorm administrator and proud owner of the plainest suits and weirdest jokes this side of Hong Kong, had done a good job in diverting his attention or simply giving answers that didn't address the issue at hand. When he'd been about to push harder, a silver-haired teen arrived at the breakfast table, protein drink and school bag in hand, to inform him that they needed to be off to school. Sanada Akihiko had introduced himself when Minato came down for breakfast, then headed back into the dorm until now. Ikutsuki mentioned it was for training.

"Everything should be taken care of with the school administrators, but stop by the main office to make sure," Mitsuru told him as he and Akihiko were leaving.

Minato stopped to bow to her politely – of all the people he'd met so far, it felt like she deserved the respect the most. "Thanks, Kirijo-senpai."

She gave a light chuckle at his formality. "We're going to be living in the same dorm now, so there's no need to be so formal. Just 'Mitsuru' will be fine."

"Ah. Mitsuru-senpai then." It had a nice ring to it, and she nodded in response.

"We're gonna be late," Akihiko called from the door. Minato grabbed his bags and headed out with the pale teen. He didn't seem the sort to enjoy repeating himself, so Minato focused on his words and didn't talk much. Akihiko covered topics like the dorm's policies on curfew, the layout of Tatsumi Port Island, and other such useful facts. Just like that morning, no handguns were mentioned, and he gave Minato a sharp look when he asked about any criminal incidents in the neighbourhood. Down the streets, on the train, along the walkways that led to school, he committed what his senpai said to memory.

"Takeba should be here already. We've asked her to show you to your homeroom and help you get set up," Akihiko told him as they approached the school. "You're both in the same class, so just follow her lead until you get a feel for the place. I have some things to take care of before first class."

Akihiko's and Mitsuru's use of Yukari's name was something Minato had noticed at breakfast. "She doesn't seem the sort to get stuck on manners and formalities. Is there a reason you call her by her family name?"

He chuckled and shifted his school bag before responding. "I guess you could call it familiarity. Or the lack of it, in her case She hasn't been at the dorm very long, and she's pretty distant around me and Mitsuru." Minato noted that despite the formality he used with Yukari's name, Mitsuru-senpai was different. Interesting. "Trouble adjusting, I guess. But I've gotta run, so I'll see you back at the dorm if not on break."

"You too, Akihiko-senpai. And thanks for everything."

He gave a wave in response, and Minato looked up to see his new school for the first time. It was clean and well built, and remarkably efficient on space, at least from the outside. He'd heard that the Kirijo Group commissioned it, and thought it an unusual act of charity for a corporate entity to give a school to society. Surprising, and quite human. His surprise died off when he saw their trademark efficiency in the front doors and the steps leading up to them, the wide walkway bordered by stone-walled flowerbeds and deep benches. The entire place felt professionally planned out.

Minato let the view wash over him and hadn't moved since Akihiko had gone into the school. Otherwise he might have noticed how some of the other students were whispering to themselves and pointing at him. He'd gotten as far as thinking of how well the view of the building was complimented by the windmills behind it, but he was brought back to rude reality when someone crashed into him from behind. Hard. He barely kept his footing, and when he turned, sore back and shoulders and all, he tried to chew out to the girl he saw staring at him. "Was that necessa–"

"Are you friends with Akihiko-senpai?!" Her eyes were already wide, but only got more so when she leaned closer to him. If she thought her nearly knocking him over was at all a problem, it didn't show.

His anger guttered out like a soaked candle. She hadn't taken the hint from his glare; instead she had a fervent, arguably crazed, intensity about her that he tried to get away from. But she followed. He stepped back again, and she followed again. And every time he tried to back away and glare her off, she only got closer. "Look, You need t–"

"What!?" another girl shrieked, rushing up to him. "You're friends with him?! What's he like off campus? How do you know him?!"

"I don't really–"

"But he talked to you! That has to mean something! How long have you known each other? He mentioned a dorm, so do you live with him?!"

And of course, because misery loves company and company brings friends, several guys couldn't be bothered to have their discussion elsewhere. Like, twenty feet away and out of earshot. "Hey, didn't Yukari-san move into the same dorm as Akihiko-senpai?"

"That's what I heard," his friend replied. And Minato could feel the eyes turning on him. He wasn't in a rush to get to homeroom, but suddenly the front doors, less than thirty feet in front of him, looked very appealing. And felt very far away.

"Whoa, dude, you live with Takeba Yukari? What's she like? C'mon, tell us!"

Tact and manners became much less of a priority at that point. "There's nothing to say," Minato growled, pushing past the students toward the school.

"Oh come on! You live with her so you must know some things about her, right? You can't just leave us hanging!"

"Same with Akihiko-senpai! Just a little bit. Please?!"

Minato ditched the idea of making a good impression on the first day and began shoving past them, pointedly telling them all to get out of the way. Finally, he managed to escape them, switching shoes on the fly and taking the first empty seat he could find in his homeroom. He took a few minutes to shake the ringing from his ears and make sure none of them had followed him in. That was… unexpected. He hadn't known Akihiko-senpai would be so popular with the girls. And while Yukari's apparently stellar reputation confirmed what he'd assumed before, he wasn't expecting their respective fan clubs to be so… enthusiastic. Next thing he knew, they'd be begging him to carry letters or to be their go-between for dates and meetings. He pulled out his books and sighed. It would be hard to hide, too – being the new transfer student, and a distinctive one at that, meant anonymity was going to be in short supply.

But at least with all the attention on those two, he didn't have to worry about students flooding his shoebox with love letters or having to fight off romantic rivals just because he was the new guy. He knew he was good looking, but he didn't need a horde of girls following him. He liked things when they were uncomplicated and straightforward. And he'd work to keep his school life that way, because nothing was worth that much drama. Nothing. If he ever had to put up with that much teenage clinginess and drool again, he swore to shoot himself in the head. Maybe Yukari would lend him her gun if it came to that.

* * *

It was that night that he got his chance.

As though being woken up in the middle of the night and running from something climbing up the dorm walls wasn't bad enough. Or that his senpai had sent them up the stairs where, no surprise, there weren't any other ways down when their pursuers were hammering at the windows. No, instead he'd gotten onto the roof with Yukari to see the things that were chasing them clear the wall and close in around them.

For the first time in longer than he could remember, he was scared stiff. The masks, the way the blobs moved. And those swords, very real swords. Yukari's explanation rang hollow in his ears, and he couldn't move even when she was knocked from her feet.

He could feel their stare land on him, shivering up one side of his body and down the other. He knew they were looking at him. Not with eyes; there were no eyes. But with something else. Something that was instinctual and… familiar.

They…

They were Shadows. And he knew where they were vulnerable.

The fear died off and his legs felt loose. Yukari's gun lay at his feet and everything began to slow down. The night became painfully bright, like every colour was hitting his eyes four times harder than normal. The sound of them shuffling, closer. Closer. The smell of pollution and night mist coated his lungs, the taste of adrenaline and copper. Everything intensified, like he'd chewed on a lightning bolt. It all merged in front of him, halting time while a second pulse pumped through his veins. A second heartbeat, thudding in his ears. One beat. Two. Two more. He looked above the monster in the lead, and he saw it. Hovering, translucent, limned in light as hazy as the moon above them, was a man holding a lyre. But he was more than a man. Standing. Waiting. And Minato understood him without hearing a word.

_You… You want to help? You can fight them?_ He knew he was right in his guess, and he knew what to do.

Despite how strongly he felt everything around him, on the inside he was at the heart of the void. Everything he was seeing should have scored a 48 on his 15-point 'weirdness' scale. His first night in town hadn't come this close. But he wasn't scared now. He could almost feel Yukari's fear from where she was. Not him. No fear as he bent his knees and reached down. No curiosity when he felt his hand wrap around the grip of the gun she'd dropped. No nothing at the moment he raised it to his temple, leaning into the cool, smooth metal against his heated skin.

The world flashed white before his eyes. And there he was again. Appearing as fast as he'd vanished before. The smile on his pale face was macabre like a stripped skull, eyes as dull as those of gargoyles on a cemetery gate. _"Go on."_

_I'm getting there, Junior._

There was something else, a dark, murky shadow around his vision that had nothing to do with the monsters moving toward him. The sound of wind whistling through barren branches. The smell of grave dirt and granite. A cold touch on his soul that he recognized but couldn't place. Through it all, the man with the lyre, Orpheus, hovered there. Staring at him. Waiting on him. All he had to do was… _You're it, aren't you? You're my "Per.. so.. na!"_

His mind shattered when he pulled the trigger.

* * *

Arisato Minato had never indulged in drugs or alcohol before, especially with the Kirijo Group watching him so closely, so he couldn't compare waking up the next morning to a hangover. But if having one felt like he did when he woke up, as though his stomach was churning like a washing machine and his head had gotten stuck in a train's main engine, then he swore off ever touching the stuff from that point on. The cars outside sounded like passing hurricanes, the sunlight from the nearby window was jamming needles into his eyes when he opened them, and the clean smell of antiseptic and fresh cotton sheets was about to make him sick. All he could do was curl up on the bed and hope to keep his dinner down and dignity intact.

"How're you feeling?"

Yukari. He cringed and curled up more, trying to push out the noise. Just thinking her name hurt. "Don't," he rasped, and even doing that was enough to make him want to cry. "Too bright. Not so loud."

"Oh, sorry," she told him quietly, and the sunlight was cut out by her drawing the blinds shut. Then he heard her walk across the room and flick some switches, and the room's lights dimmed down. "Guess you're still feeling it, huh?" she inquired as he let out a breath of relief and cracked his eyes enough to see her.

"That's a word for it," he replied, slowly propping himself up and leaning back against the pillows. "I don't spose you got the number of the truck that hit me, did you? Or the driver's name?"

She looked at him oddly as she retook her seat in the chair next to his bed. "Uh, there wasn't a truck. You do remember what happened last night, right?"

Killjoy. "Yeah, I remember what happened," he sighed. "I was just trying not to."

"Right. Sorry. If it helps, it was a little funny." Too bad she didn't sound the least bit amused. "But Mitsuru-senpai and Ikutsuki-san wanted a clear idea of how you're feeling and what you remember, so I just had to make sure."

Minato grunted as he shifted on the bed, trying to get comfortable before giving her his report. "Fair enough. I remember those things with the masks attacking us on the dorm roof and grabbing that guns of yours. I pulled the trigger, and that's where things get weird. Was that normal for using one of those things?"

She looked a little startled, perhaps not expecting him to respond so quickly or to question her so soon. "Uh, I'm not sure about 'normal', even for an Evoker or using your Persona for the first time. But you haven't answered my first question – how're you feeling?"

Better now that the lights were down and his stomach settled. Didn't help his headache though. "Like half the bones in my body were broken and rearranged. And like my head's being used as a basketball in the semi-finals," he replied with as much cheer as he could. "Other than that, pretty terrible."

She blinked owlishly at him, then smiled and settled into her chair. "Don't take this the wrong way, but you're pretty unusual," she told him finally. "I thought you'd be a lot more serious or quiet. Especially after last night. I mean, most people wouldn't be joking about it. Or as calm about it as you are."

"I get that a lot."

"Well, thanks for the help. Sorry I choked up like that."

He brushed it aside, as much as his arm and hand would allow. "It is pretty insane to shoot yourself in the head, even to bring out a… what did you call it? A Persona? And that Evoker looks like a handgun; I doubt anyone's crazy enough to pull the trigger without a sweating it a little. So I can't blame you for that."

"You didn't seem to have a problem with it," she pointed out.

No, and that should have been worrying by itself. He knew he had a skewed view on how he should react sometimes, but turning a gun on himself and pulling the trigger was a new extreme, even for him. But Yukari didn't need to know that. "And I get more impressive the longer you know me," he told her with a smirk that felt like his face was being broken in half.

"And modest too," she replied dryly. "Thanks again, and I'm glad you're awake. I should let the others know you're awake."

He rested back and closed his eyes. "Works for me," he told her through a yawn.

He heard her rise from her chair, but she'd barely made it around his bed before she stopped. "Hey, one last question." She sounded serious.

His stomach was starting to settle, but he didn't want to risk agitating it again so he didn't turn to look at her. "Shoot."

"I heard that you know a bit about the Kirijo Group. That they've been part of your life for a while, and that's why you're here now."

He chuckled without opening his eyes. "That's an awkward way of putting it. But yeah, they've looked out for me since my family died."

She paused for a moment, and her tone was a little shaky when she spoke again. "Oh, jeez. I'm really sorry about that. Last thing you need right now is someone bringing up bad memories."

"It's alright. The accident happened a long time ago, and I don't remember much about it. Why the curiosity about the Kirijo Group? I mean, you've lived with the chairman's daughter longer than I have."

"Uh… well, Mitsuru-senpai's always pretty busy, with school and dorm business, that sort of thing. So she wouldn't have time to answer small questions, you know? But you've got more history with them than I do, so I thought you might know something about the Group. Or maybe you'd met her. Before now, that is."

Liar. He didn't even need to see her expressions to pick up her nervousness. And why would she sound so serious about him knowing about the Group if it was idle curiosity? "Gotcha. No, I never knew Mitsuru-senpai before I moved here. The most exposure I ever had to the Group was medical check-ups and them giving me a place to live. I never got involved in their businesses or plans before now."

"I see. Well, thanks. And I hope you feel better." She was out the door before he could reply. Touchy, that one. She didn't sound happy with his answers. That said, she didn't seem too warm toward anything related to the Kirijo Group, and it wouldn't surprise him if he was on that list as well.

His last thought before he nodded off was how little that idea bothered him.

* * *

Despite how awful he'd felt after waking up, Minato was back on his feet just a few hours after Yukari left. For how much pain he was in, it didn't last long. A battery of tests and a few explanations from Ikutsuki and Mitsuru-senpai later, he was leaving the hospital in the clothes he'd been wearing the night before and admiring the sunset as he hoofed it back to the dorm, turning down offers for a ride and saying he wanted to stretch and exercise after half a day of forced bed rest. Ikutsuki had met him at the doors when he entered and caught up with him on what'd happened the night before.

"It would be better if Mitsuru-san talked to you about all that," he replied when Minato started pushing for answers. "It's something she knows more about and can explain easier than I can, and Akihiko-san mentioned that there might be another student joining us soon. If so, then it would make more sense to address the matter once with everyone, correct?"

It was hard to refute the man's logic, and Minato wasn't about to push Mitsuru-senpai on the matter. Instead he threw together a meal light enough to handle and salty enough to cleanse his palette of the taste of hospital food before turning in and sleeping for eleven uninterrupted hours.

When Minato caught up with Akihiko-senpai the next day, any questions relating to the new student living in the dorm were met with the response 'no clear answer yet.' And it wasn't until that evening that the answer arrived in the form of Akihiko-senpai holding the door open for a teenager Minato recognized from school, wheeling in several boxes and bags and carefully working over the door threshold.

"This is Iori Junpei," his senpai introduced the cart-laden teen who steadied his load long enough to bow at the introduction. "I ran into him the other day, and it seems he's got the potential. When I explained the situation, he volunteered to join us. We just got the arrangements and details worked out earlier today."

"And here I am!" Junpei added once Akihiko was finished. His eyes lit up a little when he saw Yukari, who'd been trying to conceal a look of resignation from them all. "Hey, Yuka-tan. So it seems we'll be roommates now, huh?"

"Hey Junpei," she replied as kindly as she could, though Minato caught the "why did it have to be _him_?" in tone easily enough. "Well, we'll see what happens. The standards are a little strange, so it might be that this isn't your thing."

"Trying to get rid of him already?" Minato inquired as he pushed off the wall. Yukari sputtered a response while Junpei laughed and adjusted his ball cap. "Arisato Minato," he introduced himself smoothly. "Seems we're in this together."

Junpei reached out and shook his hand when offered. "Cool! Good to see you again. And you're living with Mitsuru-senpai and Yuka-tan." He tossed a wink over Minato's shoulder and pretended he didn't hear the groan from Yukari. "Not bad for the new guy."

"Seems like I was born under a lucky sign," Minato replied calmly. "Or an unlucky one. It's hard to tell half the time."

"But you're living here, dude," Junpei pointed out. "That's gotta count for being lucky, right?"

Minato kept to himself the fact that he'd woken up the morning before in a hospital wishing he'd died. He was about to comment on how residency at the dorm came with the added perks of fighting monsters, summoning supernatural beasts, and having guns pointed at him in the first week, and that wasn't even including Ikutsuki's jokes or the weird stuff they had in the fridge, but he was interrupted when the administrator made his appearance. Introductions were finalized and Mitsuru herded them toward the couches in the foyer. "Now that everyone knows each other, it's time you learned what we do here and why you're a part of it," she told them, standing at the centre of attention.

Ikutsuki and the senpai explained while the kouhai listened. The Dark Hour. Tartarus. SEES, their Evokers, the Shadows and Personas. Apathy Syndrome and The Lost. Minato kept his mouth shut and let the information sink in. It didn't take long (it never did) and he turned to examine the others when he was finished. It seemed Yukari had heard the details before, or knew enough that she wasn't as surprised as Junpei, in any case. Despite that, there was still a hint of suspicion on her face, and Minato was reminded of her questions the other day. What had the Kirijo done to her? Being curious about the Group was one thing, but this was looking like bad blood. Junpei, on the other hand, had a look of intense focus on his face as he turned what they'd been told over in his mind.

"Well?" Akihiko gestured impatiently after a few minutes.

"This is crazy," Junpei muttered.

"I dunno," Minato replied calmly, leaning back with ankles crossed. "It makes sense. The Dark Hour cutting out electronics, normal people ending up in coffins so they don't see the change, Shadows hunting people and Personas being used to fight them. Considering what happened the other night, I'm ready to accept that much."

"Do you believe everything you're told this easily?" Yukari groused from beside him.

"Just the things I see firsthand that put me in the hospital. I mean, it's no crazier than having a gun pointed at me that doesn't fire bullets."

"I told you: that was an accident," she snapped with a glare. "Would you please stop bringing it up?"

"This is deep," Junpei told them, a little louder this time. "I mean, we're high school students. The most any of us had to worry about was test scores and part-time jobs, and now we're supposed to be a kill squad for Shadows?" He looked over at Minato, who'd been watching their senpai curiously. "C'mon, you think this is crazy, don't you? It could be like they say it is, but it could be something else, right?"

Minato noticed that none of the other three looked offended or surprised that doubts had been raised, and he shrugged in response. "Sure. It could be a lot of other things, or a mix of a bunch of unrelated things all happening at once. But I don't have a different explanation for them that makes more sense." He cocked an eyebrow as he looked to the side, and Junpei's expression said he didn't have one either. "I can't comment on The Lost, but I was wondering what would've happened to us if we hadn't killed those things the other night. And them leaving a brain-dead husk behind is as good an answer as any."

"I'm glad you're seeing the sense in fighting them," Mitsuru told him, her first time to speak since the explanations were made. "It's not something we can just allow to continue unchecked. The Shadows need to be stopped, and Persona-users are the best way to fight them."

"I am curious if there are other ways of doing that," Minato mentioned. "It doesn't seem like they'll come at us one at a time, and even with five of us, there's no guarantee there won't be more than we can handle with just our Personas. I'd rather not end up out of commission for a day every time we get into a fight."

"Dude," Junpei muttered in disbelief, "they're talking about fighting monsters by shooting ourselves in the head with things that look like guns. Is this really your first time hearing all this stuff? Because you're way too calm."

Mitsuru looked at Minato, ignoring Junpei's words. "You're concerned about your own Persona and the reaction you had the other night. I admit, that surprised us as well. I've never seen such a strong reaction before."

"We looked at the footage," Akihiko added when Minato's brow creased a little, "and as near as we can tell, your case is unique and pretty rare. First-time summonings are always risky, and we think you just put too much into it. That's what caused the backlash. With practice, I don't think you'll have that problem again. But let us know if things go weird on you, alright? An out-of-control Persona's not a joke."

"But we are going to have a backup, right?"Junpei asked, finally moving past the shock. "I mean, we can't count on our Personas for everything. So we're gonna need grenade launchers and automatics to make sure we finish the Shadows off."

"I'd hate to find out who you plan on getting to carry all the ammo for that," Minato replied. "Not to mention that those are noisy and heavy. And I wouldn't want to risk putting live rounds in my Evoker – gave me enough of a headache by itself last time."

"We're not using guns," Akihiko told them. "It's too impractical with all the paperwork to fill out and the questions people ask. But there are other things we can use besides our Personas."

"Like what?" Yukari asked.

The two senpai shared a look then gestured for the three kouhai to follow them up the stairs. Ikutsuki excused himself from the group, citing a need for more research now that they had more members. Once they reached the second floor and turned right, they were led to a polished oak door that had several locks on it. Mitsuru reached into a skirt pocket and pulled out a key ring before selecting one and unlocking a lock, then using another key for a different lock, and so on until she was finished. Then she opened the door and stepped through, snapping on the lights and gesturing for them to follow. Minato let the others go in first, and was suddenly glad he had – when he saw what the room contained, he stopped in place.

Weapons. Lots and lots of weapons. Bows and quivers of arrows, spears and nunchaku, several racks of fighting gauntlets and cestuses and spiked gloves, a couple battle axes and heavy knives, and entire stands filled with swords. Katanas and epees and claymores and sabres, blades of all makes and cultures, clean and sheathed and sitting patiently along the wall. On a table, half-concealed in a locked wood and glass case, were the same pale blue guns that Minato remembered seeing Yukari handle. Their Evokers. Minato expected them to be kept safely out of sight, but wasn't expecting to see so many.

Beside him, Yukari was speechless. "W-whoa…"

Junpei looked like he didn't know whether to be concerned that a dorm had such an arsenal, or to indulge in every guy's fantasy and immediately run over to the sword racks. "Those… are awesome," he murmured finally.

Minato, on the other hand, had seen and heard all he needed to. The spark of curiosity was fanned into a blaze of sudden enthusiasm. "I'm in." The others looked at him, reactions mixed from surprise to disbelief to, in Mitsuru's case, approval. "It's going to take more than the two of you to fight those things, and I'm curious about them and my Persona. If fighting the Shadows gets me some answers, then count me in."

"Thanks," Akihiko told him from where he was leaning against the wall.

"Just like that?" Yukari asked. "You're not curious about the details? What if there's more we don't know?"

"Doesn't matter," he told her, still eyeing the racks with the European swords. "I was worried that there wouldn't be a backup plan and that I'd have to use a Persona for everything. But these?" He gestured toward the swords and gave his senpai a slowly-growing grin. "I can get used to these. When do we get started?"


	2. Advance

**Author's Notes: **Wow. This started as a pet project to do on the side. I wasn't expecting such a strong turnout. But since I got one, I guess that means you'd all like me to build on what I've started? Well, that was kinda the idea in the first place, but now I know I'm not the only one who wants to see something like this grow. So grow it shall.

To all my beautiful readers, new and familiar, thank you for the support and reviews. It makes a big difference, knowing that people like what I put out. Secondly, and this is not new information for some, I have a Persona 4 fic called Continuance featuring Souji and Yukiko. If that interests you, by all means, take a look and see if you like it.

There. Shameless advertising aside, hope you all enjoy this chapter. So let's get to it, shall we?

**Chapter 2 – Advance**

"So why use a saber?" Junpei asked the next day as they were walking back from school. "It's kind of an odd choice when there were so many other weapons to choose from."

"Not really," Minato replied, stretching his arms above his head and not missing a stride. "Katanas are good weapons, but we're also using Evokers. I'd rather not mix up my hands and waste time when I'm in a hurry. Besides, if the blade's sharp and used properly, the you don't have to swing that hard to get the job done."

"Still, you don't seem like the fencing type. Dancing around in a straightjacket with a fishnet on your face… Yeah, I can't see it."

Minato concealed a smile, looking toward to road. If only he knew. "Sabers aren't just used for competitions. They're pretty versatile as far as swords go. But since you raised the topic, we'll have to keep count if we end up fighting Shadows again."

Junpei perked up at that, looking like a dog that heard the dinner bell. "Really? What would you bet?"

He got a chuckle in response. "Well, we'll have to see who wins first. Don't raise the stakes until you know what you're up against, right?"

"We'll see, we'll see," was Junpei's response, accompanying a wide grin. A number of students joined them at the next intersection, so their discussion shifted to less incriminating topics, and swords and bets and Shadows and shooting themselves in the head weren't mentioned the rest of the way back to the dorm. There was a familiar figure waiting for them when they arrived however, standing out even against the foyer's usual soft lights.

"Hey, Akihiko-senpai," Junpei called as they entered. "What's goin' on?"

The silver-haired teen was sitting on a couch with his school books spread before him on the table. Despite Ikutsuki's assurances to the new team members that he still wasn't in fighting condition, he looked as calm and capable as ever. No discomfort, no winces or complaints, so it was hard to even know where he'd been hurt. Of course, Minato hadn't known him very well before his injuries, so perhaps this was him being wounded and he was normally more chipper and effervescent. Still, he just looked at the two kouhai and tilted his head to the side, beckoning them over. "We'll be going to Tartarus tonight," he told them simply when they got closer. "It's time to see what you three can do. Make sure you're rested and ready to go at 11."

Junpei blinked for a few moments, caught off guard, then scratched the back of his head. "Huh? Uh, cool, but should we be expecting anything serious? I mean, more serious than usual? Because you make it sound like a pretty big deal."

Their senpai closed his eyes and shook his head. "There's no such thing as an easy fight when it comes to these things, Junpei. Shadows are dangerous, no matter how much practice you get. So I'd expect you to take them seriously. Same as Tartarus."

"I think he was just surprised, Senpai," Minato replied, coming to his classmate's defence. "It's a little abrupt, that's all. Especially after the last few days we've had. But if that's the plan, then we'll be ready."

"Good. I already told Takeba. And since Mitsuru's going to be staying here tonight, you'll be leading the team when we get there."

That caught them both off guard. "Me?" Minato replied, tilting his head to the side. "Why me? Wouldn't Yukari-san be a better choice if you won't be fighting with us? She's been here longer than me or Junpei."

"Mitsuru's orders. She's interested in how you perform in the field. Fighting, leadership, that sort of thing. Also, your Persona's probably stabilized from its first summoning, but it's still an unusual case. She wants to know how you deal with a few live scenarios. And I'll be there to assist if things go wrong."

"And evaluate, I'm sure. No pressure dude," Junpei tossed in with a wink to the transfer student. "They're just throwing you into the deep end without a rope."

Minato gave them a smirk. "Then I'll have to get a perfect 10 in the diving competition. I'll make sure I'm ready, Senpai."

Akihiko nodded and went back to his reading. Junpei looked at his cell phone for the time, then between them with a questioning gaze. "So, what now?"

"Well, they say that the first step is in choosing the right gear," Minato offered. "So I'm going to check on my sword. Care to join me?"

Junpei shrugged. "Sure. Might learn something useful, right?"

The two dropped off their school bags and proceeded to the weapons room. Mitsuru had given them the keys necessary to enter the room after each swore to be careful with the weapons inside. It made sense – having stands of high-grade armour and an arsenal of weapons in a dorm would raise questions from even the most lenient dorm executive. Yukari had looked uneasy when they were perusing the selection the night before, but Minato found the room's atmosphere to be comforting. It had to closed-in feeling that gave a sense of privacy that the foyer and lobby lacked. From the low lighting and the dark oak cabinets and chests and chests of drawers, to the smell of metal polish, steel, and leather, to the hushed feeling that grew as he moved deeper into the room, cutting him off from the sounds of the outside. It all felt welcoming to him. Like an inner sanctum where the part of him that knew how to use the weapons at his disposal was accepted and let loose to explore.

"So, what do you know about looking after sword?" Junpei asked, standing next to him and looking at the sword racks.

The content look that the room's environment brought to his face remained even through the interruption. "Oh, a thing or two." And he strode over to where his sword rested, set aside from the others and leaning against the rack. He picked it up and went over to one of the nearby tables, while Junpei sat across from him and watched curiously.

Minato drew his saber, carefully checking the weight and edge. It wasn't as long as a cavalry saber, and narrowed to a wicked-looking tip. The basket guard around the hilt would take some getting used to, but it was nothing he couldn't adapt to. And the balance wasn't bad, but it had been a while since anyone had used the sword as a weapon if the dull edge was any indication. That wouldn't do. Recalling his lessons and after-school club activities, he got up and rifled through the various drawers and cupboards until he found a set of sharpening stones, a bottle of blade grease and some rags, and sat down to give the weapon a much-needed sharpening. First a series of swipes with the coarsest stone. Then oil and a cleaning. Then a finer stone, and more oil and another cleaning. Another stone, finer yet, and another cleaning. And on and on until the blade gleamed like sunlight on running water and was so sharp that he risked being cut just by looking at it. As he worked, Junpei followed his lead, albeit with less polished results. The two worked in an easy silence, with one focusing on his task and minding the blade, and the other watching and trying to copy his teammate. Minato was carefully wiping the oil off his sword, looking for any missed metal shavings, when Junpei gave a disgusted sigh next to him. "I'd never pass up the chance to kick a Shadow's ass," he muttered, sheathing his sword and testing the sword belt, "but these late nights are going to be murder if we push them too long."

"Then we'll be smart about it," was all Minato said, giving a final swipe of the cloth before setting it to the side and sheathing his sword in a single smooth motion. "And look on the bright side – you were wondering why I chose the saber. Now you'll get a chance for a live demonstration."

Junpei looked up at his comrade's bright eyes, distinct and out of place on features that were normally stoic and detached, and groused "You're enjoying this too much."

Minato gave him a sideways glance and a smirk. "Just remember – the tally starts with the first fight, and I'll be keeping score."

* * *

It was an odd feeling, now that he thought about. Well, that was an understatement. 'Odd' was the class rep's dog running through the halls during lunch hour after being covered with several gallons of rainbow-coloured paint. But the shift from real time to the Dark Hour was so obvious that he'd never know how he missed it during his first night in Tatsumi Port Island. And it was becoming more palpable each time it happened. The shift that rippled through the world around him like a thin wall of water, the way the sound of traffic on the roads nearby was cut off and everything else became muffled, and how it always smelled like decay and stagnating water. Even the ambient lighting was strange, brighter in places that were nowhere near the street lights, and darker directly beneath them, even though the lights themselves were off.

But what threw him the most was the change in temperature. It was warm during the normal daytime hours, which was nothing new for the beginning of May. But when the Dark Hour hit, the temperature dropped a good ten degrees. It wasn't enough to require more than his usual jacket, but it was an immediate change, no matter how warm or brisk it had been at 11:59. Perhaps even more unusual, and he still wasn't used to it, was how the wind cut off when the shift happened. It only reinforced how wrong the Dark Hour was.

And yet the shift felt familiar. As disturbing as the changes were, jarring and blatant distortions of the normal world, there was a part of him that recognized the sensations. It wasn't obvious, but it was there in his heart, and it guided his steps through the Dark Hour with ease. He hadn't noticed it until Junpei had started asking questions, but it bolstered his decision to fight – he wanted some answers, and it seemed like this was where they were hiding.

"Did you catch all that, Arisato-kun?"

He pulled his eyes down in a flash. He'd been so busy looking at the ceiling of the bottom floor of Tartarus that he hadn't noticed that the others were done talking. Yukari was looking at him curiously, still looking like the girl he'd met on his first night despite the longbow she held in her hands and the quiver of arrows she had belted to her waist. Her Evoker was strapped to her hip, readily at hand, but he noticed that she kept her hands away from it when she could.

His inattention had made him the centre of attention. But he responded with a shrug. "More or less. Tartarus is a construct that's unique to the Dark Hour, and it was where the Shadow that attacked us the other night came from, so that's why we're exploring it, right?"

Akihiko nodded, holding his jacket over his shoulder like he'd stopped on his usual route to school. "More or less. We explored it before, but had to stop due to a conflict of interest. Now we have you guys, so we're seeing what's in here. This floor's safe, and everything between us and the top is a nest for the Shadows."

"Is there a chance they'll try to escape into the city?" Yukari asked. "Or was last time a freak accident?"

Akihiko shook his head. "We're not sure. Most of the time they stay here, but of that were always the case then The Lost would only be in this area. They aren't, so it makes sense that the Shadows are out in the city when the Dark Hour hits. Or there's more to Apathy Syndrome than we know. But this is where most of them are, so this place gets priority."

Junpei chuckled and adjusted his baseball cap. "Then this place makes for a good training ring, doesn't it? We won't have to go looking for them, and we'll be ready if one of those big ones comes out."

Their senpai nodded. "That's the idea. Get used to fighting and using your Personas, because that's your best bet for staying alive in this place. There's another thing – pay attention to the feel of your Evokers, and also start thinking about ways to improve them. Is it too heavy or too light, wide enough, thin enough, whatever. It's going to be yours after tonight, and you're going to want it to be a perfect fit, so keep that in mind as we go."

The others were quiet, so Minato spoke up. "So these are going to become our own Evokers? We won't be switching them or grabbing whichever ones are available?"

Akihiko nodded, looking at each of them intently. "Evokers might be something we all use, but they're not interchangeable. The balance, the grip, the weight and feel, it's not something you want to be throwing you off-centre when you're in a bind. We'll lock them up when we're not using them, but we don't trade them unless it's necessary."

"Do they have to look like guns though?" Junpei asked, scratching the back of his neck. "Why couldn't it be something else?"

Akihiko gave him a hard stare, then pulled his Evoker free from the holster, tilted it back, and held it to his temple, just above the right eye, without flinching. "Tartarus won't go easy on you. If you can't pull the trigger when it matters, then you probably won't do much good when it doesn't. And if that's the case, you should forget everything you've seen here and go back home."

"It's not like that," Junpei protested immediately. "It's just… I don't need a reminder of how crazy all this shit is. I mean, does it get any easier?"

Akihiko shrugged and gestured with his weapon. "It did for me. When you're fighting for your life and on the edge, how you die doesn't matter as much. A Shadow or a bullet to the brain, it'll get the job done. Just that if your Evoker were loaded, it would probably be faster."

"That's pretty morbid," Yukari murmured, checking her bow and quiver and looking up the stairs.

Minato spun his own Evoker around his forefinger, testing the weight and balance like his senpai had said. The action came easily, smoothly, and felt right. "It's a good mindset to have though," he noted. "It's not like we'll get a second chance if we choke." He looked up as Akihiko slid his weapon back into his belt, and frowned when something caught his eye. "Senpai, is that writing?"

"Hm?" He pulled the gun back out and looked at the slide, then gave a small smile. "Ah, that. It's something Ikutsuki put on. I have no idea where he got the idea or where he sends them for the engraving, but it never takes very long." He twisted the weapon and showed them. As Minato had seen, there were letters, but not English or Japanese, carved into each side of the otherwise clean and polished slide. "He says it's a way of personalizing them. I have no idea where he gets the quotes or ideas for them, but they're fitting. Or at least they are for me and Mitsuru."

Minato took a closer look, and tried making sense of the script, but all he knew was that the letters looked Greek. And the letters on one side were different from those on the other. "What does it mean?"

"The whole quote covers both sides," he explained as Yukari and Junpei leaned in for a closer look. "But it translates into something Archimedes apparently said: Give me somewhere to stand, and I will move the Earth."

The three were silent for a moment. He'd sounded proud but modest when speaking the words, and it showed in his expression. Minato couldn't help but be impressed, and Junpei chuckled with a grin, his concerns forgotten as he looked at the silver-haired teen with open admiration. "That's pretty deep. And awesome. And I can totally see that suiting you, Senpai. Born to rock in the ring and never taking second place, no matter where you are, y'know?"

"There's more to it than that, Junpei," Akihiko replied, holstering the weapon for the last time. "But we're not here for a history lesson. We'll see what Ikutsuki gives you, and maybe you'll understand more."

Minato frowned thoughtfully. He remembered the night he'd arrived at the dorm, and the weapon that'd been pointed at him, but couldn't recall seeing any markings on that Evoker. But then, he'd had other things on his mind, like contemplating a ventilated skull, so maybe he'd forgotten. "Do you have those markings on yours, Yukari-san?" he inquired.

She shook her head. "I haven't had much luck summoning my Persona until now, so it's never come up. I'm not sure what I'd want on it, anyway."

"You'll get them in time," Akihiko assured them crisply, rolling his shoulders. "Now, we're going to see what you can do. Let's take it one floor at a time. You guys are setting the pace, and you're going to be doing the fighting, so work out how you're going to operate."

"Will you be fighting with us, Senpai?" Yukari asked.

Akihiko gave a small, tight smirk. It might have looked stoic to the others, but to Minato it looked like a mix between a rueful laugh and a pained grimace. "There's nothing I'd like more, but Mitsuru and the doctors want me to take it easy for now. I feel fine, but it's not worth catching hell over. I'll back you up with my Persona if you get in a bind. The front lines are yours."

Junpei looked crestfallen, frowning before turning and adjusting his hat – evidently he'd been looking forward to fighting beside his senpai. Much as Minato would have liked the same, he also saw the logic behind the decision. "That makes sense," Minato told him, catching the group's attention. "There's no point in risking a permanent injury if you don't need to."

Akihiko gave him a level stare and a low grunt. "Whose side are you on?" he muttered.

"It's not like there'll be a shortage of Shadows to kill, right?"

Their senpai just shook his head and sighed. "Come on. Let's go. Remember: the Shadows will be trying to kill you, so don't let your guard down. We'll go as far as we can, then call it a night." And he led them up the stairs and through the distorted halls, teaching them as they went. Checking the corners, proper formations and space, signals between Junpei and Minato, whose weapons risked injury to the other, and so on. The first few fights were over before they really began. Minato got used to handling a saber again, Junpei's signals were easy to read, and Yukari's support worked well with their formation. He was about to comment on how well they were progressing when Akihiko gave the signal to stop. "Those were stragglers," he told them calmly, ignoring the silence he got in response. "It's pretty common. Since the Shadows are attuned to this place, we can expect them to try harder and in larger groups next."

"Try harder?" Junpei repeated, rolling his shoulder and flexing his hands on his sword. "You make it sound like they're smart enough to trick us or use ambushes."

"It doesn't happen all the time. But they're not just stupid animals operating on instinct. They're smart, crafty sometimes, and dangerous no matter what. So don't let your guard down."

"It looks like there's a staircase over there," Minato informed them, nodding down the next corridor. "At least we have a place to go if they attack us."

"Think they'll use the stairs?" Junpei asked, adjusting his grip on his sword.

"The one the other night climbed up the wall," Yukari noted, looking around and setting an arrow to her bowstring. "It was like it was herding us."

Akihiko let the shared commentary settle for a moment before walking toward the stairs. "We'll see what they try here. I've never seen them scale Tartarus, so maybe the rules are different here."

Minato followed without question, the other two joining him shortly after. The next floor was cramped and dark, even more so than before. Minato took the lead, checking the corners and only catching glimpses of something scurrying on the edge of his vision, so faint that he wasn't sure he was seeing anything. And the way the Dark Hour muffled sounds made his hearing useless. He looked around again, catching the silent, scurrying movements. But off in the distance. Was it running from them? Then why was it going sideways and not away? And it wasn't getting any closer. But then, why move like that at all? What was it doing?

Unless–

"Look out!"

–the movement was a distraction. Shadows rushed them from the corners they hadn't checked, and they were too close to dodge or run from.

Everything cleared. His vision crystallized. The gloom in the corners brightened, his centre of gravity anchored, and his hesitation fled. His body heated up. Momentum from his racing heart flooded his veins, seeped into his muscles, and drove him forward. Yes. He knew this feeling, and he welcomed it with a smile. He drew his sword in a flash and flowed forward, meeting the strikes with his own. Slashes were answered with a parry and riposte. He dodged around thrusts and severed the limb once it was in reach. His muscles pulled and tensed, remembering the hours of lessons. Each strike hit home, and each cut covered the walls with Shadow 'blood'. Dodge, slice. An arm melted into the ground. Parry, slash. A body fell without its head. Always in motion, always in balance, and he moved like water. His momentum couldn't be stopped no matter how hard they tried.

Two more cuts. His blade, sharp as it was, cut them down without slowing or catching. Another Shadow died, and he spun to meet the two that took its place. He barely saw the attacks, but his body reacted in a second. Two parries, one slash, and only one enemy left. He dodged and spun with an upward slice, bringing down the bird before his left hand connected with his Evoker. Out it came. Around it went.

Once. Twice. Thrice.

He barely felt it at his temple when he pulled the trigger, and the last Shadows near him died in a blast of fire. The adrenaline was still pumping as he turned, but the others had finished their targets. What a shame. He'd just started breathing hard. Akihiko watched them from the back, surrounded by a smoking pile of Shadow goo with a calm look on his face. The others looked up at the transfer student, clearly surprised by how fast he'd moved.

"Wh…where'd you learn t… to fight like that?" Junpei huffed next to him, shaking off a hit he'd taken.

"I used to be part of the kendo club back in jr. high," Minato replied, holstering his Evoker and running his thumb and forefinger down the blade to clean off the muck from their foes. "Learned a lot from them. It didn't last though – they ended up asking me not to participate after a while."

"That doesn't make sense," Yukari protested, collecting her arrows and wiping the sweat from her brow. "Why would they ask a skilled student to leave? I'm sure there were competitions you could have helped them win if you were that good. And how does kendo make you a good fencer?"

Minato smirked as he turned to her, shrugging exaggeratedly. "There were some sore losers on the team who felt that my participation took away from the training of the others. And there was the other detail that, whether it was the poor sports or the team captain, they all kept losing. So I ponied up for some lessons and took up fencing last year to expand my horizons. I'm not as good as when I was practicing kendo, but some of the principles are the same. And this style suits me more."

"Y…you're serious?" Junpei asked incredulously. Even Akihiko looked over at the transfer student curiously. "You were the best fighter on the kendo team?" Minato's smirk stayed as it was, and Junpei caught himself, narrowing his eyes suspiciously. "Wait a sec. Are you serious?"

Minato didn't sound the least bit convincing when he replied "Who knows?" Just to top it off, he winked at his team mates. "If you're ever up for sparring, maybe you'll find out."

"Hm. Maybe I will," Junpei replied warily, then grinned at the others. "It would make for a pretty awesome fight though. You against me, last man standing. Who can turn down a guy with a Japanese sword, right Yuka-tan?"

Yukari rolled her eyes and pretended not to notice him. Minato chuckled and shook his head. Subtle as a train wreck, that one. His heart was in the right place, there was no denying that, but his approach needed work. "By the way Junpei, that puts me up to eight for this floor."

"Hm?"

Minato tapped his saber and the gunk that still clung to the blade, cocking an eyebrow meaningfully. "I said I'd be keeping tally. I'm at eight. What about you?"

Junpei was silent, and Yukari cocked her head and looked from one to the other, confused. "You're keeping count of the Shadows we've fought? Why?"

"No reason," Junpei told her before Minato could respond or Akihiko could ask further. "But that's enough of a rest, right? If the Shadows know when each other dies, then we should get going." He shouldered his sword, both weapon and wielder coated in the tacky slime left behind by the Shadows, and walked toward the end of the corridor.

Neither Yukari nor Akihiko saw it, but he gave a hard stare to Minato as he passed. And got a quirk of the lips, almost a smile, in response. When the others looked at him for answers, he just shrugged and turned to follow his companion.

Despite Akihiko's warnings and the chance for another ambush, the rest of the floor was quiet. The staircase presented itself, and they ascended to the next floor without incident. They passed through the door and found another empty room, but Akihiko stopped them with a "Hold up" when they were about to explore further. The three kouhai turned around, seeing him nod to where they'd just come from. "Here. Look at this." He pointed to an odd green sphere lodged in the frame, and closed his hand around it until it glowed. There was an odd vibration in the door, and when he reopened it, the view that greeted them as the platform at the bottom of Tartarus instead of more dark hallways.

"That's creepy," Junpei noted, staying back from the door.

"But convenient," Minato noted calmly, pushing his hand through the open door, testing for a barrier or a trap. Nothing. "It beats having to walk all the way back down."

"Let's call it a night," Akihiko told them. "This place takes more out of you than normal time does, and it takes getting used to. No point in pushing it too hard on the first try."

"Works for me," Yukari put in, stepping through the door and down the steps. She looked back when she reached the bottom, evidently to convince herself that the door hadn't been a trick. The three males followed, Akihiko leading.

When they reached the ground floor, Akihiko looked at each of them in turn. "Not bad for a first try. How're you holding up?"

"Tired," Yukari replied simply. She was swaying a little, holding her bow close.

"I coulda gone another floor or two," Junpei told him, shouldering his sword. "But I get it if this was just a test run." Then he looked to the last member of the group. "So how about you, Leader? You got any more to give?"

"I'm fine. On the topic of our Evokers – I'll take a left-handed grip on mine," Minato informed their senpai smoothly. Yukari and Junpei looked at him, puzzled, and he continued. "Switching my sword out each time is too much of a hassle. It's not like the Shadows are going to wait for me if I screw up."

Akihiko nodded. "Makes sense. Using your Evoker left-handed means you're never off guard. Anything else?"

"The balance is a bit off," Minato continued. "The weight needs to be centred more."

"That was one of my spares," Akihiko noted with a smirk, "so that only makes sense. I'll make sure the adjustments are made. By the way, Mitsuru fights the same way you do, so if you ever need any pointers, she'd be someone to talk to."

Junpei immediately perked up. "Ooooh, now that would be an awesome fight to see, don'tcha think, Yuka-tan? Mitsuru-senpai against the new guy, a no-holds-barred match. I don't think either of them would stop for a whistle either."

Yukari just shook her head with a long-suffering sigh. "If she uses a saber too, then they'd be fencing properly. That means padded gear, masks, a fighting ring, and swinging at each other with props like paperclips. They'd have to call hits and points too, so it wouldn't be like fighting here if that's what you're thinking. Besides, she doesn't seem like she'd get bent out of shape over a fight, so it probably wouldn't be that interesting."

Junpei's shoulders sank as he grumbled under his breath. Akihiko's eyes were closed and something Yukari said must have amused him, because he hid a low laugh behind one of his hands. "It's hard to say how she'd react," he told them lightly. "But let's go – the Dark Hour's about to end, and it'll be easier if we're outside before this place changes back."

They made their way out to the street, and were just outside the front gate when the world distorted. A low hum, darkened lights flickering, and then it was over. The street lamps above them cut through the darkness and the normality of everything around them took a few minutes to get used to. Junpei and Yukari talked to Akihiko about their Evokers, and Minato trailed behind them, making sure his sword wouldn't be visible to any passersby. It was strange; for just a moment when they headed back down the tower, he felt something. A breeze on his mind, or a phantom brush across his face. It was as familiar to him as being in the Dark Hour, the same sensation he felt when he saw the Shadow on the roof. But where had it come from? Was it another large Shadow, or was it something else?

"You alright, Arisato?" Akihiko asked him as them stopped at an intersection. He glanced up and realized how close they were to the dorm.

"I'm fine," he replied with a small smile. "Just thinking about the Shadow from before."

"I guess it's all sinking in, huh?"

"Something like that. I don't suppose you know anything else about Tartarus, do you?"

"Nothing I haven't told you already. Why?"

Minato shrugged, his face blank. "I'm just wondering what's at the top. It's tall, but it doesn't go on forever, right?"

Akihiko shrugged. "No one knows. There're plenty of theories, but nothing that's more true or less crazy from basic gossip. But if we keep exploring, then the odds are good that we'll find out eventually."

Junpei chuckled next to them. "Though, seriously, that's a _lot_ of stairs to climb."

"You're always bragging about being the star of PE, aren't you?" Yukari pointed out without a sideways glance. "So it shouldn't be a problem for you."

Junpei protested. Akihiko hid a laugh behind his hand. And Minato glanced back toward the tower that was no longer there. What was at the top? Or who?

* * *

They sat and discussed Tartarus and the Shadows when they returned. Minato and the others were tired and bruised from their fights, but the answers were welcome. Still, Minato found his mind wandering, and it had nothing to do with fatigue.

He thought about the Dark Hour and the Shadows as they talked, and looked at his Evoker, still on his belt. He could feel them inside now, tickling him under his skin. Stirring. Whispering. Waiting. His Personas. Waiting for a fight and a pull of the trigger to come out and raise hell. But they offered no guidance. No answers about everything that'd happened since he'd come to Tatsumi Port Island, to why he had several where the others only had one. To why it felt like he'd seen that Shadow that attacked the dorm before, and how he knew what it was going to do before it even moved. But he couldn't say anything. Telling people that were dedicated to killing Shadows that he had a connection with them wasn't a healthy career move. So he kept his intuitions to himself, hard as it was. He didn't have anyone to talk to about this strange familiarity.

"_That's not true."_

He spun toward the door. His neck popped from how fast he moved. The foyer, the lobby desk, the chair behind it. Nothing. But he knew what he'd heard. And who had that voice. Of course, that was just one more question he didn't have an answer for – after all this time, where had Junior gone? And why could he hear him when no one else even knew he existed?

"You're really out of it tonight, dude," Junpei told him from across the table, pulling him back to the present. "You alright? Maybe we outta turn in if you're spacing out."

Minato shook his head, beginning to realize how tired he was. Get back in the game. "Nah. I'm fine. I just need a minute to let it sink in.

"Well, the meeting's over anyway," Akihiko told them from where he was leaning against the arm of the couch. "All of you did pretty good tonight, so get some rest. And leave your Evokers here – I'll send them to be tuned up."

The three nodded and did as he asked. Conversation was nonexistent as they trudged up the stairs, their momentum gone and the sheer inertia of the Dark Hour, fighting Shadows, and a full day of school and studying and activities bearing down on them. Even with the Dark Hour feeling familiar and his sword training still as sharp as ever, his arms felt like lead weights in a swimming pool. He'd barely managed his farewells to his comrades before stumbling into his room and collapsing on his bed. When he woke up, it was eleven hours later.

His morning routines hadn't changed, despite working more closely with Yukari and Junpei at school to 'promote team cohesion', as Ikutsuki had put it after an attempt at a joke that involved pigeons and acorn squash. And the attention he'd gotten from his classmates hadn't decreased very much either, though at least it hadn't gotten any worse. But his trigger finger was itching. Until their weapons came back, they weren't going to Tartarus, and holding in his Personas without an outlet was like an itch he couldn't scratch. He hoped that his Evoker would be returned to him soon, but he hadn't expected it come back within two days. Nor was he expecting Mitsuru-senpai herself to deliver it to him.

He'd been sharpening his sword and tending to his gear, something that was fast becoming a habit, when she opened the door and stepped through in her usual blouse and skirt and boots, carrying a dark wooden case at her side. He rose from his seat and bowed smoothly to her, and noted when she stopped across the table from him that she was wearing perfume. Or perhaps she'd just showered, since her hair looked as clean and vibrant as ever. But his nose tickled as she stood there, catching a scent like Valentines cinnamon hearts and peppermint and something else he couldn't place. Yet it didn't cloud his head or make his eyes water, like some of the girls at school. It was something spicy and a bit sweet, but understated. Subtle enough that he hadn't noticed it until now. He couldn't help but approve of her choice – it suited her.

"Here," she told him, placing the case on the table to show him its contents without wasting time on formalities. "This one's yours. Takeba and Iori already have theirs."

The gun in the case, his Evoker, was now a polished grey instead of the same light blue that Yukari's was. The grip was grooved to accommodate a left hand instead of the usual right, as he'd requested, and it had a smoother, more streamlined frame than the one he'd sent away. There weren't any markings on the polished slide. No Greek letters or choice phrases. Ikutsuki must have still been working on one. Minato pulled it out of the case without a word and tested the weight and the balance. Both were perfect now. He looked down the iron sights – an obvious holdover from when it fired actual bullets – and felt his lips pull up into a small smile. Yes. This would do perfectly.

Mitsuru gave him a knowing smile when he looked up from the weapon. There was no condescension in her eyes, or resignation like he was getting used to seeing from Yukari when Junpei was talking. Instead it looked like she understood that his Evoker was more than just a tool, and that his focus on it was different from a male fascination with destructive metal objects. And he knew why. His Evoker was the gateway to his Persona, and that was something she could understand perfectly. Probably better than he could, considering how long she'd been doing this. "Make sure you get used to it," she told him simply, closing the case and stepping back with it. "And don't push yourself into exhaustion. We may need you for something that doesn't involve Tartarus, and you'll have to be in peak condition." She nodded once in parting, and turned toward the door.

"Thanks, Mitsuru-senpai," he murmured to her back as she left. She didn't respond or turn back, but he had a feeling that she heard him.

When she and her scent left the room, he looked at his Evoker again, then turned to his sword belt to check his holster. She'd taken the time to make the delivery, so the least he could do was make sure it was worth it. He'd be ready when she needed him.

* * *

They settled into the routine of going to Tartarus ever second or third night. Minato would have gone more, but Junpei had argued that going on no sleep for that long was crazy. Yukari had objected on grounds of still being students and needing to do well in their classes. In the end, Minato agreed with her, and took to practicing on his own when he wasn't studying.

It was a few weeks after their first night in Tartarus when Mitsuru had called them to the foyer as they were turning in. She was still wearing her uniform and looked the same as when she greeted them in the morning. Minato couldn't help but notice how much she contrasted with Junpei, who was yawning blearily, and Yukari, who had traces of toothpaste on the edge of her mouth. She wasn't yawning or rumpled, nor did she have circles under her eyes. Maybe she was a night owl.

"We've detected a Shadow outside Tartarus," she told them as an introduction. "It's at least as big as the one that attacked us here."

The others blinked, clearly not expecting the news. Minato felt his fatigue drain away and stretched in place. Well, so much for reading before calling it a night. "Do we have any details on it? Where is it?"

She nodded, gesturing to a map of the city on the table in front of her. "It's on a passenger train, here," she explained, pointing. "The lines are done running for the day, so it won't be moving too fast. I want you three to get ready and deal with it once the Dark Hour hits. I'll meet you at the train station and provide support."

"Will Akihiko-senpai be joining us?" Minato inquired, already forming a battle plan in his head.

"Not this time. He might get a bit enthusiastic and try to help you on the train. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but he's supposed to be healing. And you've been training long enough."

A trial by fire. "We'll get it done, Mitsuru-senpai," Minato told her. She nodded. The others had their questions, and she answered them easily. She left them in the foyer on account of "having other preparations to make," and the three made their way to the weapons room to arm up. They kept mostly to themselves, still shaking off their earlier plans and adjusting to the shift. And each had to prepare for the upcoming fight in their own way. They strapped on their weapons and armour and headed to the street without protest. This was what they'd been training for.

An hour later, just as the Dark Hour began, they were waiting outside the train station Mitsuru had pointed out. Junpei was resting on the stairs, looking sharp and alert after two energy drinks, while Yukari tapped the inside of her arm. "Where is she?" she grumbled.

Then they heard it.

There was a low, approaching growl. Not of a Shadow or a living beast, but rather of a mechanical steed, moving fast. Minato turned to see an approaching headlight that turned as it reached them, revealing a white and red Japanese motorcycle, complete with saddlebags and a metal case strapped to the back. The bike wasn't something that had been found and repaired or patched up until it ran – it was a quality machine that came at top dollar, a king of lions that purred as it idled, waiting for the command to run. Instead the rumbling died off as the ignition was cut, and his attention was caught by the person driving it. The rider snapped down the kickstand and dismounted, and for a moment Minato wasn't sure which of the two had finer curves. An expensive pair of boots ended while long, toned legs ran up to a shapely set of hips, all covered in dark riding leather. A zipped-up biking jacket, close fitting, and a dark helmet that looked both worn and cared for. Minato took a few seconds to look the rider over. He knew enough about bikes and the gear to go with them that while the rider's ensemble was of unmistakably good quality and probably cost more than a middle manager's mortgage, it showed signs of use. From the odd patch of thin material to the wear marks on the wrists and elbows and knees, the suit was both stylish and practical. Same as the helmet that was being unstrapped and pulled off as he completed his inspection.

The long red hair that announced the rider's identity as the helmet was removed didn't surprise him – he knew no one else in the dorm could have afforded an oil change for a bike like that, let alone the machine itself and the gear that came with it. But seeing Kirijo Mitsuru decked out in close-fitting leather hit a chord in him that held his feet in place and his mouth shut. He wasn't surprised – rather, he was in awe at the figure she cut.

"Holy shit," Junpei murmured next to him, and all he could do was nod.

Of course, such moments of worship and genuflection were not to last long. Yukari adjusted her quiver and stepped forward to address their senpai. "Do we know more about the Shadow now?"

And the spell was broken. Mitsuru nodded, uncaring of the attention she was getting and acting like she always did while she pulled the metal case off her bike. "It's on the train currently at the station here. As far as I can tell, it's at the front, and it's not moving."

"So… if the Dark Hour kills electronics, how does your bike work?" Junpei asked, still not completely over her, or her bike. Minato nodded – if he could get batteries like that, he'd never need to worry about his music cutting out again. And he wouldn't have to keep resetting the clock on his phone.

"It's special," she told them as she hung her helmet on the handlebars and shook her hair out. Minato couldn't help but follow its motion. She'd been riding a motorcycle with her helmet on, so it should have windblown or pressed close to her scalp. But it was neither. Instead she looked as fresh and in control as the first night he saw her.

He couldn't help where his mind went at her words. _Special, eh?_ _Not just the bike._ Maybe it was inappropriate to think of his senpai like that, especially the daughter of the Kirijo chairman, a girl he'd known for less than a month, but he didn't care. The sight of her, leaning against her bike, confident and not a hair out of place, was burning into his mind. The white of her skin and red of her hair stood out like a pure, brilliant flame against the warped green cityscape and the glaring full moon above. An unshakable anchor of self-assurance that hit him even deeper than when he'd first seen her. More than Yukari's lively personality, or the girls he'd seen in the school drama club. None of them got to him like she did. When he thought about it, no one had ever gotten to him like that, girls or otherwise.

That should have scared the hell out of him. But all he could think was that he wanted to know more about her.

"I'll provide backup from here," she continued as she adjusted the case holding her scanning apparatus, evidently unaware of Minato's eyes following her. "I should be in range no matter what the Shadow does. It's probably too much to hope for that it will stay where it is, so be ready if the train starts moving."

"Can it do that without the engines?" Minato asked.

She nodded and knelt with her scanning equipment. He almost missed what she said next – he was too distracted with how the leather cupped her curves as she moved. "It wouldn't surprise me. There are a lot of rules that the Dark Hour bends, so be ready for anything." When she looked back at them, he nodded. And felt his cheeks heat up. Embarrassed? Well, that was another first.

But she was dead serious when she rose to her full height to address them. "Akihiko feels that all of you are ready, and from what I've seen, I agree with his assessment. But this is still dangerous. Remember your training and work together."

"We'll be alright, Mitsuru-senpai," Junpei assured her with a grin. "We're good to give it 110%."

"And we've got a leader who won't do anything stupid or reckless," Yukari put in, testing her bowstring.

"Then it's in your hands," she told them, nodding with a small smile. "Good luck."

Minato nodded and raised a hand in a half salute before turning and heading up the steps, checking his breathing and resting his hand on his sword. He felt the others close ranks behind him, and the air went cold. The familiarity was there, and it was useful in a way. It gave him something to focus on besides Mitsuru-senpai and how she looked, wrapped in leather. Like the feeling of wrongness all around him and the enemy they had to fight.

Sometimes, it really was the simple things in life.

He let out a fortifying breath as they reached the train, and draw his saber. "Be ready for anything," he told them calmly. "And watch your targets – fighting on a train means less space to move around."

"Got it," Yukari replied, all business now. "And you two watch your swings."

"No worries," Junpei tossed back as he drew his sword. On an unspoken signal, they rushed onto the train through the open door, looking for Shadows. But they ended up staggering for balance when the train jerked beneath them. The doors shut, the lights flickered, and the train started moving.

"Great," Yukari muttered, staring out the window as they accelerated. "Should've expected that."

Minato shrugged, focused on what lay ahead. "Who didn't see that coming? Come on – let's find this thing before it starts playing with the speed or the tracks. There's only one place it could've gotten this thing moving, so this way we won't have to go looking for it."

Junpei looked over his shoulder at their leader, a ready gleam in his eyes. "Same stakes as before?"

"You're on," Minato agreed with a small smile.

Yukari sighed next to them. "Men."

"It'll be more interesting if you join in, Yukari-san," Minato offered.

"No, you guys have your fun. Let's just get this over with." He and Junpei nodded, and they moved forward, attacking the first group of Shadows that materialized before them.

Much as Junpei might have complained about the time their training at Tartarus ate up and the late nights and bruises they'd endured, it paid off in spades now. Yukari's shots never missed, and Minato and Junpei worked off each other's strikes to counter the Shadows in the cars. They worked as a well-oiled machine. However, there was something they'd overlooked. Cramped as Tartarus was, it was spacious compared to the confined spaces of a passenger train. And the Shadows bled every time they were cut or shot or burned or blown apart by lightning and wind gusts. The team's luck simply wasn't good enough to remain untouched by the muck, and soon they were ankle-deep in slime, their weapons and clothes spattered black.

"I think the dry-cleaners are going to love us this week," Junpei commented after another Shadow went down in a blast of fire, bubbling and hissing as it melted.

Minato was about to comment that he wasn't sure if Shadow muck was dangerous to people, considering what they did to The Lost. His sword still cut perfectly despite the extra weight, but he couldn't see his blade under the chunky coat of black and green. And it was getting a bit heavier on the swing every time he finished off his targets.

"I just hope we have shampoo for this!" Yukari snapped back. A few Shadows had tried to scurry past the two guys and bled on her when Minato cut them down from behind just as they reached her. She was unharmed, but her cardigan and hair now carried chunks of blood and dead Shadow, and her temper had shortened immediately after.

Minato decided to keep his questions to himself. Not much they could do about it, and what they didn't know probably wouldn't kill them. At least not right away. Hopefully.

Back and forth they went, and they made their way up the train steadily. Their progress went so well, in fact, that Mitsuru-senpai commented on it across their mental link. "Excellent. Two more cars and you should see it."

Their target thought they were doing well too – it rattled the entire train and kicked up the speed. The dim lights outside became a sickening blur and the Shadows rushed them aggressively. Their banter died off as they fought off the creatures, one after another, and every step was bought with determination and violence. Blades flashed and Personas blazed, and the heavy fights were taking their toll.

Enough so that Minato missed a leaping Shadow that rushed past him. Yukari blew it away, but the attack had been a cover for another Shadow, one that was too close for Minato to dodge. And Junpei was already busy.

He spun, trying to move out of range, but was too late – the Shadow whipped forward, around his saber, and crashed into his chest, sending him into the wall. His vision doubled and his arms were pinned. His breath blasted out of his lungs and his chest immediately twisted in pain. The Shadow glared without eyes, too close to dislodge. Its claws came up, glistening red–

And were cut off by Junpei, swinging from behind. It died without a sound, but Minato didn't move, trying to breathe through the pain. Trying to see past the spots bubbling across his vision. But he heard it. A low chattering, like someone talking just on the edge of hearing, but he couldn't make out the words. They weren't in a language he understood. Maybe they weren't words at all. But they were coming from the front of the train. He shook his head, but the words persisted. Low. Angry. Threatening. No, no time to lay down. The thing in the first car had to die first.

Junpei finished off the last Shadow, so Yukari held her hand out, standing above him. "That looked bad. Are you alright? You look like you're bleeding."

Minato winced as he rose, feeling his ribs creak. Breathing was hard, and standing up straight was a sharp agony like digging into his own chest with a whole drawer of forks and steak knives, but he found his footing and shook her off. Even though his shirt was staining red, the punctures were small. "I'll manage."

She kept an arm in front of him, stopping him when he tried to push forward. "You won't be able to do much with your chest like that. Let me heal you."

"Save yourself the headache," he replied with a grimace. Damn thing had gotten him good. "We're almost there. Patch me up if I'm in trouble, but not now. We need to stop this train."

She tried arguing with him more, but he pushed past her and got to the door at the end of the car. Junpei rolled his shoulder and glanced at him from under his ball cap. "So that makes us pretty close to even, right?"

He resisted the urge to laugh, and considering the pain in his chest, it wasn't hard. "So, what now? Winner takes all for the next one?"

A fierce grin. "Works for me. We'll talk about the prize later."

Yukari shook her head, an arrow ready at her bow. "You two are nuts."

They pushed forward and the door opened. He saw it. Hunched in the control room, glaring at them with glazed eyes. Pale, waxy skin concealing what looked like both fat and muscle. It radiated power, so strong it was like choking on chlorine fumes. Yukari and Junpei recoiled, preparing for the fight they knew was coming. But not him. He'd felt this before, and it hadn't gotten to him back then either. The malevolence rolled around him, didn't touch him, and he readied his sword.

His mind cleared. There was no concern. No pain. The questions fell away – this thing wouldn't give him what he was looking for. But it still had to die. He knew it. It knew it. And he knew how to make it happen. They just needed a signal.

Junpei summoned his Persona, and the Shadow lashed out to block it. The explosion fried the air and filled the cabin with the smell of burnt tar.

That would do.

His left hand flashed out, Evoker spinning in his fingers. Two spins on his forefinger. Two more on the middle. And back to the fore as he snapped his wrist back. Smooth as greased lightning, the grip slid into place against his palm. Fingers closed, arm cocked, and barrel against his head.

_It's on._

And he pulled the trigger.

The fight was fierce, far worse than what they'd gone through in Tartarus. The cramped quarters meant that dodging or retreat were impossible, and their Personas clashed with the Shadow's attacks each time, sizzling in the space between them.

Back and forth they fought, and it was more like a brawl between boxers stuck in phone booths than a spaced out, well-coordinated attack. None of them could retreat, so the only way forward was through their enemy, and they fought to the sound of lightning bolts and gunshots.

When the Shadow was off-balance, as much as it could be, Junpei darted forward and aimed a cut for one of its arms, but over swung and was left open. The Shadow reared up and stared down, claws raised. It had been a feint.

Junpei was in its sights, about to be slashed. And there was no room to get back.

Minato made a decision in a second. It was a risk, but they were running out of track. This fight had to end now.

He spun and threw his sword, hoping for a windfall of timing. Yukari released her arrow when she saw him move, and the Shadow recoiled when the bladed tip struck it in the face. Its shriek of rage was cut off when Minato's saber slammed into its throat. And Junpei, seeing an opening, put all his weight behind an upward slash that cut its head from its shoulders.

They panted and stared at the Shadow, still burning with adrenaline, when its body wavered and hissed, spewing black blood and growling like a boiling pot. Louder. Sharper. And then it exploded, raw energy and heavy muck knocking them all backward. Minato turned to protect his face, feeling the passing energy tear at his clothes and armour. And before the team could recover, the train lurched forward. Faster than before. Their enemy had a final 'screw you' up its sleeve.

They all froze. The backlash from the Shadow's death had knocked Junpei square into the wall, stunning him. Yukari had been rocked from her feet when the train shuddered, and was trying to catch her balance against the momentum. She looked up, past him, and gave a strangled gasp. He didn't bother guessing at what she saw – she'd turned white as bone and was shakily trying to point at it. No one ever did that around birthday cake and puppies.

He glanced over his shoulder, confirming what her expression told him – they were headed for the last stop at top speed. The world passed by in a sickening black and green haze and the lights of the Dark Hour made it hard to see how much track there was left.

The answer was obvious. Not enough. Not enough rail, not enough time. Too fast to jump ship. He rushed to the control panel and tried to make out the buttons from under the sticky muck from their foe. While he wiped at the console, he glanced up and saw the outlines of the fast-approaching rail yard.

End of the line. He looked down, trying to make sense of the conductor's console.

"I-is that what I think it is!?" Junpei shouted, staring through the window.

Brakes. Brakes. Where were the brakes? Buttons, levers, dials, switches and lights, but no brakes. Oh, but there was a red button off to the side.

Yukari finally found her voice. "We have to stop this thing! Now!"

Red button or not? It was always the red button in the movies. But that was also with secret bases in volcanoes and glaciers, not on trains.

"Oh shit, it's too late!"

He glanced across the console. Where… wher– There.

"Arisato, _do something_!"

He covered the dial to the left with his palm and twisted hard, feeling the momentum start to bleed off. No electronics in the Dark Hour, so no engine to kill, but whatever was driving them forward was gone now. He slammed his other hand into the red button. A violent shudder as the rear emergency brakes set in with a metallic squeal that set his ears ringing.

Not enough. They were too close.

"Dammit!"

"We're almost–"

Minato crouched against the console, grabbed the one lever that stood out from the rest, and yanked back as hard as he could. Nothing. His breath caught, and he tried again, straining so hard that his ribs screamed and spots blinked before his eyes. And the lever gave a little. Then a bit more.

Almost. Almost…

And he was sent toward the floor when it finally gave, sliding down and locking in place… then was immediately flattened against the console as the secondary brakes kicked in. The screeching of the brakes rose to a deafening scream of metal on metal. Everything and everyone flew forward. Junpei hit the ground hard next to him, trying to hold steady and protect his head. Yukari tipped over and hit the deck, sliding into Minato hard. He grunted, his chest flashing with pain, but he wrapped an arm around her waist to hold her steady.

Metal screaming. The train shuddering. And no one could look over the console with their insides trying to escape their bodies. Yukari clutched at his jacket, and he tried to worked out the distance he'd seen through the window against how much they were decelerating.

How close were they? How much track did they have left? Had they slowed down enough?

Closer. Closer. Almost there.

Slower.

Slower.

Slower.

And the train shuddered one more time before grinding to a grudging halt. No one moved for a minute – all three were numb from their fight with the Shadow and the sharp deceleration, rattled like coins in a can on a paint mixer until everything hurt. And after so much noise, no one had the faculties to talk or hear anything. Still, he was the leader, and took it upon himself to get his bearings. They were still in the Dark Hour, and who knew what else was coming. He glanced around, checking the windows. Yep, they'd completely stopped. He pried Yukari's arms off him and pushed himself to his feet unsteadily and collected his saber, too much in shock to wince in pain, then pulled the emergency exit lever to crack open the door.

He had to get out, and resorted to prying it open with his sword and cursing the need to do so. His old teachers would've had his hide nailed to the wall if they ever caught him using his weapons like that. He stuck his head out and looked down the rail, then grimaced at just how close they'd come to ramming the other trains. There couldn't have been more than twenty feet between them and the next train on the track. But they'd stopped in time. They were alive.

Then there was a shiver in the air, a tactile shift that felt like a wall of water passing over him. He shook it off as it passed, and had to wince at the moon above him, now back to its normal silver. Lights above them flashed on and the sounds of traffic replaced the heavy, oppressive silence. The alien feeling faded and the temperature rose sharply, immediately making him sweat. The Dark Hour was over. And the smell of stagnation and decay was replaced with pollution and smoking metal. Still, he took a long, deep, agonizing breath, and for all the crap that went into his lungs when he did, it was probably the sweetest breath he'd taken in years.

He jumped down to the loose rocks between the tracks and looked around, seeing the nearby loading terminal for cargo and employees. Considering how close they were to the street, there had to be a way out close by. He turned back to the others, about to help them up–

When all the train's interior lights suddenly flashed on, and every door on every car slid open. The others snapped to attention, looking around frantically while he immediately grasped his sword. There shouldn't be anything after them with the Dark Hour over, but… Then he heard a chime from the inside of the cars. _"Thank you for choosing Central Iwatodai Rails! We hope you have enjoyed your trip and will choose us again in the future! If would like to comment on any aspect of the ride, please call our main office or speak to the conductor at the front of the train. If you think of ways can improve our service or safety regulations, please contact…"_

"Great service, no matter the hour," Minato muttered, letting out a tense breath and regaining his calm as he helped the others out of the train. First Yukari, who was filthy and still shaky on her feet, and Junpei, who'd shouldered his sword but was shading his eyes against the lights around them. He started off slowly, choosing the most level ground while hoping they wouldn't have to hoof it back to the dorm. The others followed him on unsteady legs. Yukari in particular was holding the middle of her stomach and looked a little green around the gills. Minato slowed down to watch them closely, ready to move if either needed it. By the time they made their way through the terminal and out the front doors, he was about to check his cell phone when the familiar sound of a motorcycle engine purred toward them. He turned in time to see Mitsuru on her bike, flanked by two black cars, waiting at the bottom of the steps leading out of the train yard.

Less than ten minutes since electronics could function, and she already had a ride home for them. He had to hand it to her – she ran a tight ship.

"Do you guys need a few minutes?" he asked his comrades as he turned back to them.

Junpei groaned and waved at him to go away. Whether it was the injury or the screaming brakes, it seemed his hearing was sensitive. Yukari, on the other hand, shot him a look that felt like vinegar and broken glass. "Does it look like we need it?"

He let her tone roll off him like oil on ice, and gave a small, anticipatory smile in return. He understood that she was tense and just blowing off steam, but it was far too easy when she left herself open like that. "Not at all. I just like talking to myself after all my near-death experiences. It lets me know I'm still alive."

Evidently their voices were too loud, since Junpei trudged past them to sit on the steps, his head still in his hands. Yukari just glared at blue-haired student. "Do you have to try and be funny? I mean, is this really the time?"

"I don't plan on almost dying again tonight, so I might not get another chance."

She shook her head and muttered "Never mind" under her breath as she passed him, slowly lowering herself to the concrete a few yards from Junpei and breathing deeply. Tempting as it was to needle her further, they all deserved a chance to rest. And he was in the best position to talk to Mitsuru-senpai on their behalf. Thus decided, he rested his hand on his saber hilt and silently made his way down the steps, nodding politely to her as he approached. She'd dismounted her bike and watched him as he approached, looking at the others with apparent relief.

He couldn't even guess what he looked like after all the Shadows he'd killed, but she seemed more curious than amused. Well, that was a start. "Things got a little tense in the last few minutes," he told her simply, looking to the side and indicating his team mates. "The Shadow hit the accelerator when it died. Having to find the brakes was unexpected and made things tricky. We got knocked around a bit in the process."

He got a nod and a pensive stare in return as she absorbed the information. "You performed well," she told him as they watched the pair rest on the steps. "I wasn't expecting the Shadow to be smart enough to direct the train the way it did. You stopped it at just the right time."

"We got lucky," he replied candidly. His ribs still protested with every breath he took, but he endured. He couldn't look like a wimp in front of his senpai. And his bleeding had stopped. "But it could have gone a lot worse. Yukari-san and Junpei did well considering how much we had to improvise, especially in quarters that cramped. Hopefully our next fight is somewhere more spacious."

She didn't respond, instead gracing him with a small smile.

After everything he'd been through, he should have been tired or terrified like his comrades. If not that, then bored and disconnected like usual. Instead, besides the pain, he just felt content, something she was becoming skilled at inspiring in him. Maybe it was her confidence and solid control, or the analytical mind he could see working even from where he stood, or the way the smell he'd noticed earlier was mixing with the scent of leather and easing his worries away. Regardless, she didn't have to try very hard to create that comfortable silence, and he felt no need to disturb it. "Since this makes two Shadows of this size, I guess this means there will be others," he mentioned, adjusting his weapons belt and breathing gingerly.

Her face became distant, and she looked to the now-normal moon. "I expect so. It don't know how many more there are, but it probably wasn't a coincidence that they appeared here. We have to make sure we're ready for them."

He didn't bother to think of whether it sounded like boasting or bravado – he just said it. "We will be. We won here, so we can only get better."

She give him a sidelong glance. "You're confident after your victory. That's not a bad thing, but be careful to not let it blind you." Her lips dropped into a line of sober contemplation, and she spoke before he could respond. "But that's to be expected after tonight, and you don't seem like you'd easily let your successes get the better of you. So, congratulations. You've earned it. Akihiko said you'd be solid under fire, and after tonight I very much agree. When the other Shadows come, we'll be relying on your skills to see us through."

He frowned. There was something in her tone he couldn't place, like finality or grim acceptance, but it felt like something more than that. "Why me? SEES started with you, so shouldn't you be at the helm when you return to battle?"

She let a small smile tip her lips up, but it settled soon after it appeared. "True, Akihiko and I have been doing this the longest, but you seem to have connected with Takeba and Iori. Or at least they listen to you. That's what a leader needs, as much as tactical experience. Akihiko and I will support you when his injuries heal, and if I am able to join the team again. So there's no reason to change things in the future if they work this well now."

It was strange. Usually he had a feel for people and what they were thinking or where they were coming from in a discussion. Junpei's bravado, Akihiko-senpai's blunt, direct instructions, he never had to wonder what they meant. But he couldn't read her. She was thinking about something, or someone, connected to the Shadows, but the any potential details slipped from his grasp. It was unusual, and more than that he wanted her to not think about the problems of their situation when they'd just come out ahead. "Then we've got something to work from, don't we? Tonight turned out well despite the hitches on the train, so I'd call it the start of a good trend. I mean, we're at two victories for two attempts. Pretty good odds so far, right?"

She stared at him, and he felt the full weight of her attention. He had to wonder what else she knew about the situation, to look so sober about the subject. But he smiled at her and nodded, hoping he came across as reassuring and trying to project the confidence he felt to her.

Perhaps it worked, or maybe she never needed it, but her face relaxed, and she closed her eyes as she smiled, the first real one he'd seen since the Dark Hour began. "You're right. We've faced challenges so far, but we've also prevailed in the face of them. That's as good a reason for celebrating as any."

He felt the tension ease out of his body, let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. At least her mood had improved. Yukari and Junpei nodded half-heartedly to them as they passed, heading toward the cars and the waiting attendants. Yukari looked a bit better, but Junpei was still cradling the side of his head. Minato watched them as they passed, and reminded himself to keep an eye of his comrades. It wouldn't do for lingering injuries to weaken them as a team. He glanced to the side and noted that Mitsuru-senpai was watching them closely as well, perhaps coming to the same conclusion. The way she twisted showed her figure in profile, but what caught his eye was the flash of polished silver strapped to her hip. And the sight of it pulled something to his mind, something he'd forgotten about until now. "Senpai?" he asked quietly.

She gave him a sideways glance, still turned toward the others. "Yes?"

"Akihiko-senpai was talking about his Evoker and the inscription he has on it. He said it was something he received when he officially became a member of SEES. Since you're the head of the group, I was wondering if yours has something on it too."

She turned to him and blinked a few times, then set her face into a calm, controlled mask. "It does, but my inscription came from my parents, not from Ikutsuki. The source material the words were taken from is different."

"Ah. I see. I understand if it's a personal topic."

"It is, but thank you for recognizing that."

He accepted her brushing him off with grace, but wasn't about to just let it die there. "Still, I hope you'll tell me someday. It seems like an interesting idea, those inscriptions, especially them being in Greek. After we've worked together longer, perhaps?"

She turned to look at him full on, a small smile turning her lips up and an eyebrow raised speculatively. "Maybe, someday." Then she turned toward her bike and spoke over her shoulder as she started walking. "Très bien. Good work, once again. Make sure you return to the dorm and get some rest. All three of you have earned it."

"Where are you going?"

"The past week has showed us many things we didn't know before. Things that should be considered in depth. I think best on my own, so that's what I plan to do."

"I see. Well, good night then."

She nodded and continued to her bike. He waited until she'd geared up and kicked her steed into motion, and watched as she disappeared down the street and around the corner. He waited until he couldn't hear her before looking skyward.

Maybe someday, huh? Well she hadn't said 'no', and it made him wonder what was written on her Evoker. She said it was something personal. Did that mean uplifting? Grim? Telling? It didn't seem like she was ashamed of it. Yet another mystery surrounding the redheaded leader of SEES. But that was alright – he always loved a good puzzle.

"I'm looking forward to it," he murmured to the night, then looked down the steps to the awaiting car, to the dorm that was finally feeling less like a boarding house and more like home. He tossed one more look and a smile at the road Mitsuru had gone down, and made his way down the steps. It had been a close shave, and things went from bad to worse in no time at all. But they'd managed. They'd pulled it off, and he was positive they could do it again. Even past the muck that still covered him and his ribs that he was sure were cracked, the brushes with death from the Shadow and the train, and the promise that it was just the beginning, it really could've been worse.


	3. Glide

**Author's Notes:** I'll preface this with an apology. I was hoping to have this done a lot sooner and not leave all my beautiful readers hanging on the line. But, as they say, life is what happens when you're making plans, and I ended up with a second job that involves teaching. Something I wasn't expecting. Thus, the classes and lesson plans have been eating into my schedule, hence the increased amount of time between chapters between this and Continuance. Again, I apologize.

That said, I'm not ditching either story. I have way too many great ideas and am having too much fun doing this to let it be another incomplete fic for Minato and Mitsuru. They deserve better. And I want to make sure they get it.

So here is my third chapter, to all my beautiful readers, and I hope it lives up to your expectations. Be sure to leave a review if you see something you like, but whether you do or not, enjoy. Because there's a lot more to come. By the the way, for those who aren't familiar with this aspect of Japanese culture, white chrysanthemums are funereal flowers, placed on graves and used in funerals for the sake of the departed. To place a vase of them on a student's desk after a death in the family means an expression of condolences. To do so when no one in the person's family has died essentially translates into 'I wish you would die!' in nice, non-verbal terms.

And here are some replies to my fans who left comments, but not a means for me to reply. Or because this is more convenient.

_**Talking Raptors**_ – Glad you're liking it so far. I agree, most fics seem intent on getting to the juicy parts quickly. And there's nothing wrong with that, but I think a slow burn suits these two more. And I'm glad you think I'm writing everyone in character – I do try to make sure I don't push them too hard in one direction or the other.

_**PS3 Dude**_ – Would you believe me if I said that was my intention from the beginning? Minato's pretty awesome on his own, there's no doubt, but he's a fair ways from perfect. And that becomes more apparent as the story progresses, so if you're picking up an odd vibe from him now, then I feel like I'm doing my job properly. Why would I want this? Well, that would be telling. Thanks for the review, and I hope what follows lives up to your expectations.

_**A lone Black Angel**_ – You know, I have to admit a touch of hubris on my part when I read your review. I mean, I'm glad you like my writing, and it's great that you're getting into the Persona series, but you called my fic 'pretty good.' 'Pretty good.' I know you didn't mean it as an insult, but the first thing that crossed my mind was '… just pretty good?' So in an effort to rise above that, I have redoubled my efforts toward making Change of Engagement '#*$ ing incredible' instead of 'pretty good.' So thank you for your comment – I appreciate the kick and will do better from here on out.

_**Xoraan**_ – The pacing of Change of Engagement is going to differ from Continuance, especially since I'm playing around in pre-established lore. Everyone knows how the fights and level grinding in Tartarus go, so there's no sense in slogging through that, and re-explaining the Shadows and such feels pretty redundant. The engravings were a small idea that grew into something quite a bit bigger than I'd originally planned, but I'm liking what I have down for them, so I can promise you'll see more of them as the story progresses. Great to hear from an old fan.

_**MDZcoolguy**_ – I certainly plan to. I'm a personal fan of the slow development, and I've got some Minato/Mitsuru scenes coming up, as early as the next chapter, that I'm hoping will drop some jaws. Thanks for the review, and I'm glad to have you on board.

_**Starkiller Jedi Knight**_ – Well, your wait is over – here it is!

_**Frosty Wolf**_ – Much obliged. Hope you like what you see.

_**SOME Reader**_ – I'll admit, your praise made me blush. I'm glad that you like my writing style because, well, it's how I write, and I like it too. Kidding aside, I'm happy that I'm getting the ideas and themes across effectively, because that's what I set out to do in all my works. I mean, how can I expect others to like my work if I think it's substandard, right? As for Mitsuru in her leathers, there was a practical side to that – simply that her riding around that fast with just a helmet and no riding gear or additional protection didn't make sense. That the scene made for some drool-worthy mental imagery was a serious bonus, mind you. And as to what they'll be doing next to deepen the relationship, I do have a number of things lined up. I won't spoil the surprises, but I will say that the groundwork is being set even now for payoffs further down the line. And as for the Evokers, I'm glad you like them. Everyone will have their own quote on their Evoker, minus Aigis and Koromaru and Fuuka (not even sure if she had one), so if Akihiko's quote piqued your interest, I hope the others will have the same effect.

There. Now that I'm done thanking my beautiful readers, go forth and enjoy!

**Chapter 3 – Glide**

The hours was late. Or, more accurately, very early. Most of the dorm was asleep, SEES deciding to forego its nocturnal operations in lieu of study time and a proper night's sleep. And the Dark Hour had come and gone. One room, however, was dimly lit and home to whole wall units of books on a variety of topics, shelves and cases holding files that dated back as far as ten years prior. Research and records, filled to the margins with notes and amendments and coloured tags. And sitting at the desk in the middle of the room was a man hunched over his reports, scribbling away furiously.

Almost done. Almost… _Finally_. That was the last of them.

The shuffling of paper and scratch of the pen ceased with a sigh of relief and the creaking of a chair as Ikutsuki leaned back to rub the bridge of his nose. For all the support he got from the Group, there were still many day-to-day matters that needed to be tended to in the dorm. And he'd been so busy making the arrangements for the new residents and ensuring that the night operations were covered up that the paperwork had been accumulating steadily until now. He doubted anyone besides the Kirijo accountants missed his reports, but it was the large details that kept the dorm running and SEES operating as effectively as they did, and large details were made up of small details. Each of which needed attention and due consideration. He glanced to the carrying cases on his desk and blinked thoughtfully. The Evokers of the three newest members of SEES were waiting patiently for their engravings. He let his thoughts turn to the trio in question.

Iori Junpei and Takeba Yukari were easy enough to understand – Iori wanted to matter in the larger picture. He was a common face, a nobody, who suddenly had the opportunity to participate in something much bigger than himself. It was a chance to be significant in a way that had been absent in his life until now. A chance to matter. And Takeba's interest in her father's fate was hardly a secret. Well, perhaps it was to the rest of SEES. But her interest in the matter would keep her moving forward. She was passionate and fiery, and it was clear she blamed the Kirijo for her family affairs, but she was still a useful addition to the group.

He frowned to himself in the shadows. The odd one out was Arisato Minato.

Despite how well Arisato worked with Iori and Takeba, and even Akihiko now that the boxer had rejoined the active team roster, he was still very much an enigma. He gave his opinion often enough when asked, and even when he wasn't, but it was difficult to know what he was thinking, regardless of whether or not he was talking. Ikutsuki had struck up conversations with him several times since his arrival, but despite how forthcoming the teen was, there was always the sense that he had three answers to every question he was asked, and only ever gave one.

Then there was the matter of his first summoning. That had taken up several days of Ikutsuki's time, checking records and talking to the Group's finest minds, searching for a precedent or any hints of an explanation. None existed. After all their research into Shadows and Personas, it was a unique incident. One that sent shivers of anticipation through him. The others might have some idea of Arisato's potential, but to say it was beyond measure was an understatement. Because despite what Mitsuru and Akihiko believed, that was more than a summoning gone wrong. Shinjiro had undergone such a thing, but his Persona hadn't transformed into something else. Something… far beyond expectations. And yet the wielder of such power, such potential, played his hand close to the vest. His inquiries into the Shadows and Tartarus had been more direct, more focused, than Takeba's. He knew more than he let on, but it was impossible to tell if it was a great deal, or only a little.

No, for all of Arisato's talent and strong contributions to the team, and despite how dedicated he was to their goals, he was still very much a rogue factor. A wild card.

Hm… a wild card. The thought stuck in his mind, grabbing hold of his attention and refusing to let go. Unpredictable. Volatile. Someone neither side could write off. Yes, that would work nicely.

He reached for his engraving tools and Arisato's Evoker.

* * *

"What do you think of him?"

Mitsuru looked up from her books, meeting Akihiko's stare across the foyer on the dorm's first floor. It was a lazy Sunday morning, approaching noon, and the kouhai were either studying (Arisato and Takeba) or outside enjoying the fresh air (Iori). It was an excellent day for the latter, as Akihiko's light training clothes attested to. Mitsuru was going over her notes and studies, having received a package of college texts in the mail. "Think of who? Arisato or Iori?"

It was easy enough to infer who Akihiko was talking about, but she was nearly done her paragraph, and needed a few extra seconds to finish it and commit it to memory. Akihiko allowed her the time before speaking up. "Arisato, of course. The Shadow on the train, our operations in Tartarus. What about his Personas? I've never seen someone have more than one, or have that strong of a reaction on their first try."

"He is an interesting case," she replied mildly, marking the page she was on and standing to address him. "And I have the same questions you do. Perhaps more."

Her companion gestured for her to continue. "Like?"

She glanced at the stairs, making sure that they were alone, before continuing. "His timing is impeccable. One might say too convenient to be a coincidence. Years of investigating Shadows and we never saw anything like what attacked us less than a week after he arrived. A month later, another one appears. He decided to help us with very little added information, he's established a rapport with Takeba and Iori, and he fits the role of a team leader perfectly. Everything's coming together like words of a phrase. It's as though these events were waiting for him to arrive before going into motion."

"That's a bit far-fetched," Akihiko noted, though he didn't look skeptical as he replied. It was clear that those details weren't lost on him either. "But you're right on the timing part. And his talent's impressive. Way past what I expected for a newcomer."

"What's _your_ opinion of him?" she asked in return.

Akihiko shrugged. "He's got a lot of potential for fighting in the ring. No denying that. His footwork, his balance, and his attitude all say he's used to combat. I mean, he's taken to bringing down Shadows pretty well."

Mitsuru looked at him knowingly, caution and a trace of resignation in her eyes. "He's not an opponent for you to assess and defeat, Akihiko. He might be skilled with a sword, but fighting you in the ring is completely different."

He gave her a look of feigned innocence, which was convincing except for the cunning glint in his eyes. "I wouldn't do that, Mitsuru. Not unless he asked. And you never know – he just might. There is crossover between swordsmanship and boxing. Might give him perspective, help him build stamina."

She sighed and turned back to her books. Akihiko's drive when it came to fighting bordered on the single-minded, and while she knew he wouldn't push Arisato into training with him if he was reluctant, she also knew that the Rising Star of Tatsumi Port Island wouldn't go easy on anyone who stepped into the ring. Arisato might be an exception, but any slack he got wouldn't go very far.

But then the thought of what might happen in the ring crossed her mind, and she hid a smile from her long-time partner in crime. It was unlikely… No, it was nearly impossible, but it would be enormously interesting if Arisato showed all the potential Akihiko spoke of and one-upped his senpai. It wouldn't last long, considering how competitive Akihiko was, but it would certainly change the dynamic on the team. In fact, the more she thought about it, the more she could imagine Akihiko's face if Arisato put him on the mat. The mental image made her chuckle to herself before she turned back to her books.

"Something funny?" he asked curiously, a silver eyebrow raised.

"Nothing," she assured him, still smiling. "But you raised a point earlier, that Arisato might take well to training with you. It might help us learn more about him if he felt comfortable enough to exercise with you." Akihiko blinked, then his eyes shifted to the side, deep in thought. "He looks up to his senpai," she continued, gesturing to her comrade, then to herself. "And there are things we might learn from him in such a scenario."

"I'll give it some thought," Akihiko told her, still mulling the idea over. She smiled encouragingly at his words. Coming from someone else, they might have been dismissive or forgotten as soon as they were said, but when Akihiko had an idea, especially when it pertained to his training, he stuck with it and explored it to the fullest.

"You know," he murmured, humour in his voice as he looked at her across the foyer, "you could do the same if you wanted. Arisato uses a saber, so he'd make a good fencing partner. The others said they'd love to see a match between you two. And when was the last time you had a serious opponent?"

She leaned back a little, surprised at the suggestion. It made perfect sense considering they were the two members of SEES who used fencing weapons, and Arisato seemed the sort who would fight competitively. But she hadn't thought of it until Akihiko mentioned it. Indeed, she hadn't been part of the fencing circuit in quite some time on account of her responsibilities with SEES and to her father, despite numerous invitations to return. "Did they now?" she asked.

Akihiko nodded and gestured toward the doors. "Yeah. Iori and Takeba brought it up when he talked about his fighting lessons. How he used to be in a kendo class and switched when his teammates didn't like how good he was. Anyway, it came up, and if you wanted to get to know him better, then a match or two might not hurt."

What he was saying made sense, and she knew it. Fighting was a pure form of expression, after all, with intentions and thoughts and desires melted down into actions rather than words. It was why she trusted Shinjiro despite the harsh face he showed the world – they'd fought once, and she knew how strong an ally and how close a friend he would be, and not just because of his connection to Akihiko. Still, sparring with Arisato? She couldn't deny that there was some appeal to the idea, but there were probably other ways to get to know the transfer student without bruising his ego and backside. "I'll think about it," she replied, using Akihiko's words.

Further discussion was cut off as footsteps on the stairs announced that Takeba or Arisato was coming toward them. Both senpai looked up expectantly, and Takeba Yukari appeared in her usual pink cardigan and dark skirt. She nodded to them both as she approached, but didn't say anything as she headed toward the door. Mitsuru was content to let the girl do as she wished – despite working together for this long, it was clear that Takeba still harboured suspicion and distrust for the Kirijo Group, and that evidently extended to Ikutsuki and Mitsuru herself.

Akihiko, however, was not as connected to Takeba's suspicions, and utilized this neutrality by calling her as she passed. "Hey, Takeba. Wait a sec."

Both young women looked at him curiously, and he bore the weight of their attention with ease. "Yeah? What's up?"

"We were just talking about Arisato, and we were wondering what you thought of him," Akihiko told her smoothly, like he'd been planning the conversation for the whole morning.

Takeba blinked, then turned to face him, curiosity obvious in her stance. "What do I think about Minato-kun?"

"Yeah. You've been working with him on the trips to Tartarus for longer than we have," Akihiko explained, gesturing to himself and Mitsuru. "You worked with him against the Shadow on the train, and you're both in the same class. What do you think of him? As a student, as a part of the team, whatever."

Takeba was silent for a moment, thinking over her response, and Mitsuru was expecting the girl to brush off his inquiry when she finally replied. "Well, he's a lot more talkative than I expected him to be. I dunno. I mean, I got the impression he'd be pretty quiet or awkward at first, but he's got a mouth on him."

"His previous evaluations stated he was very subdued in his facial expressions and vocal range," Mitsuru supplied calmly from her place by the couch. "We assumed that it was an indication of his emotional state, but that doesn't seem to be the case. Perhaps he makes up for his expressions by voicing his opinion whenever the opportunity presents itself."

Takeba gave a small snort, shaking her head at Mitsuru's words. "Facial expressions and voice? I suppose that's a way of looking at it. He's always got something to say about pretty much everything, even when it'd be better if he didn't talk at all." She shrugged. "That's probably why he hasn't made too many friends at school so far. Besides that, he's good at killing Shadows and dealing with his Personas. He hasn't been at it for much longer than Stupei, but he's taking to all this stuff pretty easily. Speaking of which, why does he have more than one Persona?"

"We're still looking into that ourselves," Akihiko admitted. "It's not something we've ever seen before, so it's hard to figure out where it came from."

Takeba looked at Akihiko, then at Mitsuru, and shook her head. "Either way, he can definitely fight with the best of us. And he thinks on his feet. Besides that, I don't know what else to say about him. Not sure where your people got the idea that he was distant though, because he's got plenty of attitude once you get him talking."

"I wonder if that's a sign of how comfortable he is here," Mitsuru pondered aloud. "No one speaks openly to doctors or psychologists, after all."

Yukari shrugged again and half turned toward the door. "Could be. Even when he talks about himself, I can't figure out what he's thinking – he's impossible to get a handle on. Or at least he is for me, and I don't know if Junpei's had any more luck with him than I have."

The two senpai took her gesture as an indication of the conversation being over. Akihiko nodded politely to her, closing the discussion. "Thanks for the feedback, Takeba. It was helpful."

She nodded and headed out the door without another word. Akihiko and Mitsuru looked at each other, asking questions and giving answers without saying a word, and, as though just thinking his name summoned the student in question, there was another pair of footsteps on the stairs. Footsteps that approached and gave way to sneakers, a casual pair of slacks, and a pressed white dress shirt with short sleeves. On someone else, the clothes would have stood out, but they just seemed to be part of his personal style. Arisato bowed politely to the two as he reached the foyer. "Akihiko-senpai. Mitsuru-senpai," he said in greeting.

Mitsuru inclined her head in return, and Akihiko turned to face him. "Come down for some air?"

Arisato nodded. "I was going stir crazy upstairs. Needed some space. I think I might go for a walk, stretch my legs out."

Mitsuru saw Akihiko's eyes light up in a second, and suppressed a sigh. Once she'd mentioned using exercise to get to know the transfer student better, it was only a matter of time before a plan was implemented, and Arisato had appeared at precisely the right moment to kick Akihiko's interest into gear. "Well, if you need some exercise," the boxing champion began with a cordial grin, "I could use a jogging partner. I know a few places around here that're great for running. We can discuss how you're fitting in with school and the others."

Arisato blinked as his senpai, a student who rarely said more than six words when four would do, proposed to have a conversation with him. "Uh… That sounds great, Akihiko-senpai. I appreciate the offer."

Akihiko nodded enthusiastically, turning toward the door with long strides. "Sounds good. Let's go. We'll be back later, Mitsuru."

"Don't push yourselves too hard," she told him firmly. "Iori and Takeba can't explore Tartarus on their own if you two run yourselves out of commission."

Arisato seemed about to answer when Akihiko waved her concerns off calmly. "That won't be a problem. We'll just be going for a warm up this time."

And she was left shaking her head in the silence of the foyer as the door closed behind them. Boys and their games. There was no stopping Akihiko once he got an idea in his head, and Arisato's compliance might lead to something he'd regret later.

Ah well. If nothing else, it would keep Akihiko happy and Arisato from slacking off during his combat training. And maybe, just maybe, he'd start fighting his senpai in the ring. She chuckled to herself and went back to her books. That would be a sight to see, and probably a learning experience for both of them. And with Akihiko taking on the role of a trainer, there was probably no need for her to spar with Arisato like he'd suggested. After all, physical contests were more Akihiko's style, and Mitsuru had other means at her disposal to get to know the transfer student better. She glanced at her cell phone, laying on the table and still containing the message from Fushimi regarding the vacancies in the Student Council, an idea beginning to form.

Such opportunities didn't come every day, after all.

* * *

Minato was stiff the next day, carefully walking to school and through the halls and slowly twisting in place as he lowered himself into his chair, trying to find the position that his muscles objected to the least. It had been a while since he'd been this sore, and if he hadn't started fighting in Tartarus and practicing his fencing so soon after his move to Tatsumi Port Island, he'd be far worse off than just stiff. Akihiko-senpai's idea of a 'warm up' had involved a light jog almost across town, which hadn't been a problem by itself. The problem stemmed from what he was warming up for, which had involved races up several very long flights of stairs around the downtown district and near the local train stations. If Akihiko-senpai hadn't been in such a chatty mood, Minato would have found something else to do before the first mile was up. But hearing about the history of SEES, about how long Akihiko-senpai and Mitsuru-senpai had known each other, kept him quite interested, and that meant running to keep up so he could hear more.

Of course, the information had seemed like a fair trade when he was getting it. Now it felt like he'd been cheated.

"You okay?" Junpei asked as their lunch break started.

"I'll manage," Minato replied, stretching in place until the aches in his legs subsided.

"I wouldn't think that exercising with Akihiko-senpai would do that to you," Junpei continued with a raised eyebrow. "I mean, you seemed like you were in shape before with, you know, work."

"Different muscles for different things," was Minato's response as he bent almost in half, still in his seat and reaching for his toes. Compressing his stomach and focusing on holding everything steady made his breathing shallow and his words short. "Fencing and kendo aren't the same as climbing and endurance training. Our activities've kept me in pretty good shape, but yesterday was focused on building up completely different muscle groups."

"Makes sense, I guess," Junpei conceded before leaning forward with a conspiratorial look to his eyes, talking quietly while Minato straightened out in his seat. "Though you might want to keep it a secret. A lot of people here would pay for the chance to hang out with him like that. You remember how he was to those girls back when we started getting together? He's like that with everyone, no matter who they are or how much they ask. So don't let it out that you've got a free ticket with him. Catch my drift?"

Minato had noticed the long stares he'd been getting the moment Akihiko-senpai's name had been mentioned. From the students behind Junpei, from a group near the end of the room, and, he guessed, from behind himself if the suddenly cut-off conversations were any indication. Hopefully the warning hadn't been too late. Or that Junpei's generosity hadn't tipped everyone else off, enabling the very thing he'd been warning against. "I'll remember that," Minato promised quietly. "Thanks for the heads up."

Junpei nodded and tapped his ball cap in response. And it made sense, Minato deduced. His classmates already knew that he was living in the same dorm as Yukari and Mitsuru-senpai. For a nobody from nowhere to suddenly have an in with the most popular students in the entire school, albeit for different reasons than anyone could guess, would go a long way toward disrupting the balance of things. The patches of silence around him were already telling him that he was fast becoming part of the politics he wanted no part of.

Just as he'd worked out the logic in his head and vowed to keep from doing anything too flamboyant, however, the doors at the front of the class opened. Which wasn't unusual, considering it was lunchtime and they were one of the two ways into the class. But they opened to reveal Mitsuru-senpai, dressed in her usual boots and skirt and blouse. Like it had been planned on a movie set, the sunlight from outside seemed especially bright as soon as she walked in, bringing that aura of authority and the quiet of the students around her as she moved. Minato noted that she moved very smoothly, even in her boots. She had an easy stride, one step flowing into the next. Akihiko-senpai had said that she was a fencer, and it showed in the strong and graceful way she carried herself, even without a sword at her hip. He let his eyes follow her as she stopped and looked around, and couldn't help but notice that her hair looked especially fetching today, resting on her shoulder and down her back in its usual style and shade of dark red, just before she caught sight of him and walked over. And she stopped right at his desk, head cocked to the side and eyes welcoming.

Everything around them went quiet. Never mind hearing a pin drop, Minato was sure he could have heard the air move in the class. And it didn't.

"Arisato," she greeted him in a clear voice. "There's something I'd like to speak to you about. It's regarding a topic of common interest and something I think you are able to help me with. Could I have some of your time?"

Junpei stared. The class was silent despite the students that were turning to their friends to make sure they were all seeing and hearing the same thing. Minato suppressed a groan. It figured. After Junpei had just finished talking about the virtues of discretion and flying under the radar, too. And Mitsuru-senpai's words made it pretty clear that this wasn't just a social greeting – she'd singled him out for a reason. Much as he wanted to be anywhere else right then, he also knew that the students who admired her would be out for his blood if he shot her down in such a public place and way. And those same students would hate him for catching her attention in the first place. He knew he was choosing between the claws or the fangs, so he nodded gracefully, accepted his fate, and rose to his feet, suppressing a wince as his muscles pulled painfully. "I'm available right now if you need me for something." He bit his tongue to keep from using her name – no need to make this worse.

"Excellent," she told him with a small smile. "Please come with me." She turned and strode toward the doors, and Minato kept his eyes forward, feeling the stares of his classmates, Junpei included, prickle his skin. They made their way through the door and into the hallway, and any reprieve Minato thought he'd be granted was immediately crushed as the students in the hallway were similarly affected by Mitsuru-senpai's presence, and by his place right behind her.

He focused on ignoring them and kept his mind on why she was there in the first place. "Is there something I can do for you? Me specifically, I mean. Or is this regarding work?"

She slowed down enough for him to walk at her side, and he moved in step with her when she gestured for him to do so. "It's nothing so serious," she told him patiently. "But the Student Council has been short-staffed lately, and there is an opening for a position I believe you would fill quite well, so I felt that a personal invitation was in order."

She stopped in front of a door to slide it open. He stopped right behind her, absorbing her words and finding a genuine sense of surprise at her words. Him? On the Student Council? It wouldn't have been his first choice, or probably his second since he wasn't much of a leader when it came to his classmates. But Mitsuru-senpai had come to ask him specifically, so… "Why me?" he asked as they moved through the door. There had to be volunteers by the dozen if she was looking for someone to help her.

"I'll mention that shortly," she told him as she walked into the room and stood at the head of the long table. Minato stayed back and looked down the room, noticing the eyes that were on him and her. There were only a few students in the room, but he got the impression that he was being tested, even as he just stood there. "Good afternoon," she greeted those in attendance. "Thank you all for making this meeting on such short notice."

"It's no problem at all, Kirijo-senpai," a girl with brown hair and glasses told her immediately. Minato didn't recognize her from his own class, and the markings on her uniform collar indicated that she was a year behind him. Then she turned toward him, and Minato noted that her eyes were brown as well. "Is this Arisato-senpai?" That solved it – only someone a year behind him would refer to him as 'senpai.'

"That's correct," Mitsuru answered before turning to address Minato himself. "This is the Gekkoukan Student Council. This," she indicated the girl with the glasses, "is Fushimi Chihiro, the group Treasurer. And Hidetoshi Odagiri is the head of the Disciplinary Committee." Minato turned to the dark-haired student and bowed politely, who responded with a nod. "There are others, but they weren't able to make it."

"It's an honour," Minato told them before turning to Mitsuru-senpai. "So what is the matter you wanted to discuss?"

"The Student Council is in need of some additional members, and I thought that you might want to meet some of the students on the executive when being offered a position among them," Mitsuru explained simply.

Minato blinked and let that sink in, and the surprise must have shown on his face because Hidetoshi turned to Mitsuru-senpai and asked "Did you tell him about this before bringing him here? It seems like this is newer to him than it is to us."

"Arisato-kun is very adept at changing as situations require," she assured him, still looking at Minato. "I didn't bring you here to pressure you. If you don't feel that this would suit you, you're welcome to not join. But if you were to accept my offer, you should understand the group and what it looks like before making a decision."

"I'm alright," he replied, though he didn't know exactly why that was the case. Normally he'd shirk the chance to be in the spotlight and all the responsibilities that came with it. He had no problem leaving the clubs and politics of the school to those who thrived in such a situation, and yet being at the centre of attention didn't bother him as much at the moment. Perhaps it was Mitsuru-senpai's influence again. "I'd like to know more about what you had in mind, actually."

She smiled as she turned to face him directly. "The position is one I think you would fit quite well, and wouldn't require you to be at the heart of the Student Council's affairs if you don't wish to be." Damn, but she was good. Had he been that obvious? "The fact of the matter is that I find myself in need of an assistant. Someone to help me keep the affairs of the Student Council straight along with my other concerns." The look she gave him told him she was talking about SEES operations. "I feel that you would be uniquely qualified to help me, and I felt that the experience might benefit you."

"Wouldn't that be suited for the Student Council's VP?" Minato asked. "Or is that position vacant as well?"

"We do have a Vice President," Hidetoshi told him, "but she couldn't be here today. Even if she could take on the role we're offering you, she has other obligations, shall we say, that make her a less suitable candidate. The position we're offering you is essentially the role of a secretary, and you'd be working directly under the President if you accepted. You could also work with some of us if you desire to."

A chance to work with Mitsuru-senpai directly? It wasn't what he expected when he woke up that morning. He knew that there could be issues, especially considering the matters he'd discussed with Junpei earlier, but the chance to work closer to the Kirijo heiress was tempting. As tempting as the memories of her dressed in her motorcycle gear were.

And he'd already signed on to help fight the Shadows. What was a little more danger, this time from his fellow Man?

Before he could answer, Mitsuru-senpai took her seat near Fushimi. "I'll give you some time to think it over. I wanted to ensure you knew where the Student Council room was in case you decide to join us. Lunch is nearly over, however, and I have some matters to attend to."

Hidetoshi rose from his seat and looked to the two ladies. "I have concluded my business with Fushimi-san, Kirijo-senpai, so I can escort Arisato-kun back to his class and answer any questions he might have."

"I would appreciate that," Mitsuru-senpai replied before nodding in farewell to Minato.

Feeling the tone shift, Minato bowed to Mitsuru and left the room, Hidetoshi close behind. The transfer student took a steadying breath and went over the situation in his head. Joining the Student Council? It wasn't what he would have signed up for on his own, but the opportunities were hard to ignore. And if nothing else, it would look good on a résumé.

"Student Council isn't for class credit," Hidetoshi informed him as they stood in the hallway, near the wall so as to be out of the way of traffic, "but we'd appreciate any help you can offer. Kirijo-senpai's word goes a fair ways here, and–"

"No need to ask," Minato told him calmly, eyes on the door they'd just closed while he thought of the redhead who was working on the other side. "I'll take the position. Is there any paperwork I have to sign or reading material I need to go over to before I'm officially a member?"

Hidetoshi pulled back for a moment, surprised by his immediate acceptance, but regained his composure and gave an earnest smile. Or at least it looked like he was trying to smile – it was hard to say. "No, nothing like that," he assured Minato. "There are rules of conduct, of course, and you will need to be brought up to speed on the current goings on of the Student Council if you plan on contributing to the group. Of course, the position is voluntary, and no one's expecting you to make every meeting if you have other obligations to attend to. That said, you can start tomorrow if you feel so inclined. I know that the others would welcome a new addition to the group."

"Then I'll be attending meetings starting tomorrow." Hidetoshi nodded and seemed about to turn away when Minato held a restraining hand out and gave a small smirk. "Would you be able to tell me, in that case, why I was singled out for this position right from the start? I hardly think you've had so few volunteers for the Student Council that I stand out that much."

Hidetoshi tilted his head to the side, mouth set in a thoughtful line. " I think you underestimate your potential contributions to the group, Arisato-kun. Sanada-kun and Kirijo-senpai have spoken of your aptitude when dealing with new situations and being part of a team. They are the ones who recommended you for the position, and you've made a strong showing for yourself already. Whether you can keep up with the President remains to be seen, but I don't think that will pose a challenge for you."

Minato nodded in reply. "I see. Higher risk, higher reward, and what better way to test someone than by tossing them into the deep end, right?"

Hidetoshi shrugged. "You can think of it that way, if you want. In the end, it was the President's idea, and I'm looking forward to seeing how well you perform. You clearly respect her, but not to the point that you'd let that get in the way of saying what you think or feel. And that's what the Student Council needs, regardless of the position – someone with their head on straight." Minato cocked an eyebrow and smirked at his senpai's words, but Hidetoshi continued. "We have had other volunteers, as you mentioned before, but most students do it as a chance to get close to Kirijo-senpai without thinking of the responsibilities that come with the position. When put to the test, their skills have been… less than acceptable. If it makes you feel better, consider this invitation proof of your making the short list."

Minato couldn't help the chuckle that escaped his lips. "I see. Thanks, Hidetoshi-senpai. I'll do that."

Whatever else they would have discussed was cut short by the lunch bell ringing, so Minato walked back to his classroom with Hidetoshi close by, talking about the Student Council and what the expectations were, when Hidetoshi stopped and glowered hard at a desk they were coming up to. Minato turned to look at what had caught his attention, then noticed that the desk being glared at was his. And it wasn't simply the desk that was earning all the attention.

"Who left these here?!" Hidetoshi snapped, looking around the room angrily. Some students turned to their books or lunches and didn't look up, while the braver ones spread their hands and shook their heads.

Minato walked over to his desk and sat in the chair, taking in the 'gifts' that had been left for him during the break. Resting on his desk, centred and looking like it belonged there, was a small flower vase. And within that vase was a handful of flowers. The silence in the room was oppressive and heavy, as if everyone was waiting for him to respond, and that response would be loud and violent. Even more than what Hidetoshi's glare was promising.

Instead, Minato smiled. Genuinely smiled. Someone had left white chrysanthemums on his desk, an entire bouquet's worth, and had even surrounded it with letters still in their envelopes.

"I can guess what those say," Hidetoshi growled, walking over to stand next to Minato. "This is ridiculous. And completely inexcusable." Minato slipped a letter out and read it, his eyes lighting up at the calligraphy:

"_A new student should know his place! Someone like you doesn't deserve to be around Kirijo-senpai and Takeba! Die! Disappear!"_

Whoever had written it had felt strongly about the matter – there were creases and press marks in the paper under the ink, and there were jagged strokes and clipped swoops where there should have been neat lines and curves. "Someone seems angry about this," Minato noted lightly, passing the note to Hidetoshi and reaching for another. _"Sanada-senpai can do much better than you for a training partner! Stay away from him!" _Then another. Then two more. The wording changed a little, and some were more neatly written than the others, but the sentiment was the same – several students seemed to take exception with him being acquainted with Akihiko-senpai, Mitsuru-senpai, and Yukari. That they were worded so strongly only made him chuckle. "These are an absolute scream," he told Hidetoshi just as class was about to start, leaning forward to take a long sniff of the flowers, letting the fine scent fill his head and clear his mind. The entire class was looking at the pair expectantly, but Minato just glanced at the letters again while Hidetoshi fumed. "I should frame these and put them up at the dorm."

"You should report these to the school administration," Hidetoshi insisted. "This behaviour is reprehensible, and should be dealt with immediately."

"I think it's rather appropriate," Minato said calmly and clearly, louder than was needed for the discipline committee's rep to hear. "And we shouldn't be in such a hurry to dash such fragile wishes and dreams of others, right? After all, this is as close as some of these students will ever get to Mitsuru-senpai and Yukari."

The silence that followed rivalled the audio dead zone that had followed Mitsuru-senpai into the room earlier. Some of the students were stunned. Others were indifferent. Hidetoshi simply cocked an eyebrow and said he had to get to class, leaving Minato at his desk. Before the disciplinary committee member was gone, however, Minato could feel the glares and raw hatred rolling in from the corners of the room. The sheer feel of it made him smile, which only made the ire intensify. He leaned back and held the vase near his face, taking a long, deep sniff of the funereal flowers again. Then he took the letters and set them into an empty sleeve of his book bag, pulling out his text for the class as Junpei and Yukari slipped in at the last minute. The silence was still heavy, and the glares were fierce even as one of the ladies in question arrived.

"Made it," Yukari whispered to him as she sat down. Then she looked at the flowers in the vase that was still on his desk, her eyes inquisitive before they narrowed with suspicion. "Minato-kun… where'd you get those? Are those flowers what I think they are?"

He had to bite his lips to keep from laughing out loud. There was no way she could have known, but her question, addressing only him as she entered, only twisted the knife more, and he could almost hear the teeth gritting around him. How Yukari didn't, he'd never know.

But that was enough fun for the day. He slid the flowers to the side and opened his books. "It was nothing," he told her calmly, his face as smooth and guileless as a marble statue's. "Just some students welcoming me to the class is all."

The lecture started just then. And the smile on Minato's lips, unseen by everyone else, remained fixed until he left school that day. First an invitation by Mitsuru-senpai, then a stellar performance by Yukari that she didn't even know she was putting on.

Yes, all in all, it had been a good day. So good that he didn't notice his sore muscles.

But all good things must come to an end, as Minato had learned as a child. And his fun at school was no different.

His good mood hadn't lasted beyond the day. By the next morning he was back to normal, even though his classmates went from quiet to cold around him, and his run with Akihiko that afternoon had been more invigorating and less painful than the first. But his muscles weren't his concern by the time he was finished dinner and in his room that night. His mind and his special Shadow-killing talents were.

Minato rested back against his door, his head gently touching the cold, solid wood while his eyes went distant. It was still there. Despite what Akihiko-senpai and Mitsuru-senpai told him before, something felt off with his Personas, like they were rising to his commands before he pulled the trigger. Which was odd because SEES had been taking it easy since Ikutsuki hadn't returned their Evokers yet. Normally his Personas were always ready to respond to his call, eager to follow his commands, but this was different. Now it felt like they were pushing against his skin, prickling and tingling just under the surface. Like being supercharged with electricity and having no ground to tie onto. Were they backed up? Itching to get out and break something, and this was how it felt when he went too long without fighting?

No, that didn't make sense. Otherwise he'd have felt this before he came to Tatsumi Port Island. Unless the first summoning fundamentally changed something inside him so that his Personas affected him differently than when they'd been dormant. But that didn't make sense either, because he didn't feel very different from before he'd arrived.

He sighed and rubbed his face with his hands, trying to focus on the cool friction instead of the lively humming between his muscles and bones. Perhaps where he should be starting was finding out what was normal for a Persona-User, and what wasn't. He didn't have a measurement of 'normal' to go by yet, so maybe he was worrying over nothing. The thought felt wrong and hollow, of course. So much so that he knew that wasn't the case the moment the thought crossed his mind. But it did help to take his mind off things enough so that he could get to sleep that night.

While he didn't feel much better the next day, the morning run with Akihiko before school had been a welcome distraction. It took his mind off the tingling that was growing to a full-blown itch and let him focus on his breathing and the pull of his muscles. Even the run up the stairs didn't hurt as much this time, despite how little time had passed."You're in pretty good shape," Akihiko-senpai told him as they rested at the train station. "I thought you'd need more work than this."

"Most people our age do," Minato replied, looking out over the concrete structures around them. "But our work wouldn't really suit someone who wasn't in shape, would it?"

Akihiko-senpai grunted in agreement and took a drink of water from the bottle he'd brought with him.

Minato sighed as the silence stretched out between them. No time like the present, and they had to get back to the dorm soon if they were going to make it to school on time. "I was wondering if I could ask you something," he said finally, not looking at his senpai as he spoke quietly. "About our Personas."

"Hm? Questions we didn't cover before?" When Minato nodded, the boxer stood a little straighter and gestured for him to continue. "We've got some time, so go ahead."

"There's something… strange about my Personas. About how they feel." He described the sensations as best he could to his senpai, careful not to leave out any details, and when he was done, the older teen looked a bit more pale than he usually did, despite the flush of exertion he'd sported before.

"I'm glad you told me about this," he muttered when Minato finished speaking.

"It started out as different Personas with distinct voices, and there wasn't a problem. It felt pretty natural that way. But now things're different. It's like they're always there, waiting to come out."

Akihiko-senpai's face grew guarded, like something about the whole situation was familiar to him, and not in a good way. "Maybe it's an effect of having more than one. Are they all trying to get out at once?"

Minato hesitated, then shook his head. "I'm not sure. I don't think so. It doesn't fluctuate or shift, so… I guess if I had to describe it, it's like a steady rise of sound in band class. Growing and growing, but always from one place. I think if they were all trying to get out, the feeling might be less even, more like they were pushing each other out of the way." He sighed and brushed his bangs back. "I'm probably not explaining it very well."

"Are they under your control?" Akihiko-senpai pressed. "Do you feel like you're going to lose control? Or are you alright so far?"

"I'm fine in that sense," Minato assured him. "It feels different from the first time, but not to the point of them breaking loose or something. It's more like it gets to a certain point and then stays there, without crossing that threshold."

"You're sure?"

"It's been like this for the last couple days, so yeah. Very sure."

Silver eyes were hard and piercing as he stayed silent for a while, trying to dissect the transfer student like a science project. "I've never heard of something like that," Akihiko-senpai replied finally. "I know I've had days where the summoning's gone a lot better than usual, like Polydeuces was just waiting for me to pull the trigger, but not to the extent you're talking about. Not unless I'm in Tartarus, and definitely not out of the Dark Hour."

"So we're back to square one," Minato mused aloud.

"No." The word was sharp and curt, snapping out like the lash of a whip. "There might be a precedent. I'm not sure though – I'll look into it with Mitsuru. Until then, be very careful to keep tabs on it. How you feel, when it feels like they're getting agitated, anything, big or small, that might help. We just got our team back together; the last thing we need is another screw-up that'll set us back."

"I'll be careful," Minato promised. "I don't want to think of what could happen to me if all my Personas went out of control. I doubt it would be pretty."

Something about that seemed to trouble Akihiko-senpai. His eyes were a mix of hard and distant, and it was clear that there was more to the subject than a senpai looking out for his kouhai. Still, he took a deep breath and faced Minato head-on. "Look." Akihiko's voice was as serious as a heart attack, but even it paled compared to his stare. "I meant what I said before. A Persona gone out of control's nothing to shrug off. You feel like you're going to lose it or like something's wrong, you let us know, alright? Mitsuru and I'll help you as best we can, and that's better than the alternative. So don't think you have to keep it from us or that you're not part of the team. Got it?"

Minato blinked, then narrowed his eyes. That was… unexpected. No, not unexpected. But certainly different. Akihiko-senpai was more stalwart and straightforward as any student, any person, Minato could remember ever meeting, so he obviously didn't say those words lightly. But what was unexpected was that he'd said them at all. Akihiko-senpai was, after all, pretty quiet when it came to most subjects. But not Personas. Minato recalled that his senpai had been intense on the topic of out-of-control summonings before, when Junpei joined the team. Was it something that SEES looked out for because of the possible damage and the risk to a team member? Or was it personal? Mitsuru-senpai didn't seem to fixate on it as much as Akihiko-senpai did. Why not? Minato could think of a few reasons, all of which were valid, but he had a question to answer first. "I understand, Akihiko-senpai," he replied, staring the teen in the eye as seriously as he could muster. "If anything feels wrong, or more wrong than it does now, I'll let you know. No matter what."

Argent eyes dug into him and held him in place. Minato met his gaze and tried to see something in his senpai, to find out where the intensity was coming from. But before he could get anywhere, Akihiko-senpai blinked and backed away with a heavy sigh. "Good. Make sure you do."

Minato cocked his head to the side, frowning in thought, then dismissing his curiosity. Much as he'd liked to have gotten more from Akihiko-senpai, he could push only so far before someone pushed back. And as much as the questions were prodding him, he owed it to his senpai to be patient and exercise restraint. There would be other opportunities, and at least now he knew more than he did before.

Still, all it told him was that the sensations weren't normal, or at least they varied from the standards of Akihiko-senpai and Mitsuru-senpai. That wasn't distressing to him, since he was quite used to being unusual in the things he did. But it did lead into the next most logical question: why? Why him? Why now? Where did his talents come from? How was he connected to the Shadows, or was he just imagining it? Back when he joined SEES it was easy to dismiss the deeper meaning to having the abilities that he did. But not anymore. It was fast becoming obvious that there was a lot more going on, more to their activities than just killing parasites feeding on people. The problem was that, like his Personas, there was no clear answer. He was operating in the dark, and unlike Yukari, Minato didn't think his senpai were keeping the answers to his questions from him.

When Akihiko-senpai murmured "C'mon. Let's head back," Minato didn't disagree or argue in the least. He followed his senpai back to the dorm to get ready for school, and neither said another word.

* * *

When he awoke that night, there were two things he was aware of. The first was the scent of decay and the warped sense of wrongness all around him that told him he was in the Dark Hour. That alone would have struck him as odd – he was either fighting Shadows at this time, or was sleeping when he wasn't – if he weren't aware of the second thing.

That he wasn't alone.

Swiftly, he pushed himself up and looked at the foot of his bed. There was the boy, his hands folded and head cocked curiously with that knowing little smile on his face. "Good evening," Junior said to him in greeting.

"There's not much good about this time of night," Minato replied automatically, moving around under the covers until he was seated comfortably on the mattress. "Where have you been up to now?"

The boy walked along the bed, wordlessly prompting Minato to swing his legs out and stand to face him. Despite the height difference, there was no disparity between them. Minato didn't feel the need to crouch or talk down to him, and the calm, expectant look he got in return told him that his height wasn't an advantage here. "I've been busy," Junior replied calmly. "Visiting people. Learning things. Watching you."

"Me? Well, sorry kiddo, but I'm pretty boring as far as students go."

Those pale eyes intensified as the boy shook his head. Minato felt a sinking feeling in his stomach, but couldn't place where it was coming from. From the kid? No, that didn't make sense. Junior wasn't threatening or dangerous, not in those prison-convict pajamas. Shadows? He looked around, reaching out with his senses. Nothing. Even his Personas were quiet, a welcome change from how they'd been feeling before. It must be the Dark Hour, he decided. It always felt off. That was the only thing that made sense. When he turned back to the boy, his smile had grown. "I disagree," he told the teen quietly. "I think you're pretty interesting. You can do things lots of other people can't, right?"

"How do you know about that?" It was a stupid question – he'd heard Junior's voice when he summoned Orpheus, after all. And they only met during the Dark Hour, when normal people were safe in their coffins. So it only made sense that the kid would know things about what was going on.

"I know a lot about you," Junior replied, folding his fingers together again. "Like I said, you're an interesting person. And you've changed since we met. You seem lighter now. Brighter."

Minato cocked his head to the side. "Brighter?" What does that mean?" Was the kid talking about his Personas? There was light and energy when they were released.

The boy frowned a little, like he was chasing a detail that refused to be said out loud. It was odd to see, Minato realized, considering the kid was more articulate than half the teachers he knew. "It's hard to explain. It's like it's part of you now, but isn't from you. And it's still new." Junior visibly pondered it, then shrugged and went back to smiling. "Oh well. It'll come to me, and it's interesting to see."

"That's… great to hear," Minato replied, trying to keep the sarcasm from his voice.

"It really is," the boy asserted before turning toward the door. "Well, it's been fun, but you should get back to sleep."

He had only gone a few steps before Minato's mind kicked back into gear. "Wait a minute. I have something I need to ask you." His tone wasn't hard, but it had lost its conversational edge.

Junior turned back and looked at him expectantly, a smile in place and not a hint of caution or fear in his eyes. "Yes?"

"That contract you had me sign was part of all this, wasn't it? The Shadows, my Personas, Tartarus." The boy's smile died down a little, but Minato kept pushing. "What's going on here? How are you involved?"

"I'm not," was the immediate response, this time in a steady, toneless voice. "I'm just here to help you. You're the one that's important here, Big Brother. I'm just here to… help when you need it."

The last comment was what Minato'd been looking for, but his mind tripped over what Junior had said just before that. "W… wait a minute. What did you call me?"

"Big Brother." Yep. He hadn't heard it wrong. And it was hard to get his thoughts back in order between the Dark Hour throwing everything off kilter and the kid looking like giving out such a title was the most natural thing in the world.

"Why call me that? Don't you have parents of your own? I mean, if you're going to call me that, at least tell me your name."

The boy frowned thoughtfully, his stare growing heavier and more intense with each passing moment until Minato felt it like a lead weight on his shoulders. "I… suppose you're right. This won't be the last time we meet, and you did ask for my name. In that case… I guess you can call me Pharos." The stress he put on his name sent shivers down Minato's spine, chilling him to the core even as his mind turned the word over, going through what Greek he could remember from the books he'd read since Akihiko-senpai had showed the group his Evoker. Pharos. The Greek word for 'lighthouse.' Something that stood out in the darkness for sailors to follow. A guide in the night. It was an odd name for a child who was obviously Japanese. "And I don't have parents anymore," the boy continued calmly. "They died, along with my sister."

Minato blinked at that. Any normal child would have had some response to an event like that. Had he been too young to remember them? No, he singled out his sister, so they weren't just names on a list to him. They'd been real people, completing a family with memories and a past. So why did Pharos sound so blasé about it? And why did those words, that the boy had lost his family, make him cold to the marrow? He couldn't come up with any answers, but the boy's story was a curious coincidence. "I see. I can relate, I suppose – my parents and sister died in a car crash when I was young too. If that's the case, then what are you doing here?"

"Well, I don't have a family anymore, so you're like my older brother," Pharos told him as though the answer were a natural fact. "But you've been asking all the questions so far, so now it's my turn. What was your family like?"

Minato shrugged. Not at the question, since it was a logical place for the conversation to go, but because there wasn't much to say on the matter. Same as when Yukari brought it up – it simply was. "They were… a family, I guess. My parents worked, and my sister was two years older than me, so we spent a lot of time together. Studying, playing, anything we could think of when our parents weren't around. Minako was always joining groups and hanging out with her friends. And me, well, I tagged along when I could."

Pharos gave a small smile. "It's funny how your names are so close, but you said she was older than you, so you're not twins."

"Our parents weren't very creative when it came to naming us," Minato replied with a small, vacant smile. "They admitted it to anyone who pointed that fact out. But 'Nako and I worked around it. Even had some fun with it at school." Pharos's smile became less open for a moment. Pensive, restrained, like he was thinking of how to word an observation and didn't know how it would be received. "What is it?"

"It's funny. You talk about your family, but you seem very distant about it. From the way you describe them, I get the feeling you weren't close to them."

Minato blinked, then backed up incrementally. He'd heard those words before, from the psychiatrists hired by the Kirijo Group and his regular social contacts. That he was detached from the event, from his family, and wasn't connecting with the memories anymore. It had been one of the more vexing exercises they'd given him: to focus on his family and talk about them, happy or sad, for more than a few minutes. He'd tried back then. Several times. And when he'd been berated for not trying for the fourth time in a row, he'd left the room with a cold farewell and spoken to his contact in the Kirijo Group. That was the last meeting he'd ever had on the topic.

"But I'm like that too," Pharos continued. "It's just strange finding someone else like that. I remember the night they died the most, but not much before or after that. I don't even remember the funeral. Is it like that with you?"

It should have been a red flag in his mind, but Minato wasn't thinking of the mysteries of his past just then. Or the Shadows and Tartarus and his strange link to them both. Or even what Junior here might be, since they seemed to have a link that he couldn't explain. Instead he was turning over a decade-old memory. And finding something wrong with it. "I guess what stands out the most for me is the blood, and the car wreck." He frowned. There was more to it now, like a jigsaw puzzle with new pieces to choose from where there'd been none missing before. A sense beyond the wrongness of the Dark Hour. A smell past the blood and spilled gasoline. But was it right? It didn't make sense. His family died in a car wreck, not an armed robbery or a mall shooting. Still, it was there, and the words slipped out of his mouth while he was thinking them. "And… gunpowder. I think."

That seemed to shake Junior out of his pensive mood, and he smiled, differently from before, when he heard Minato's last few words. "I see. Then I guess things will be getting interesting."

"What does that mean?"

Pharos gave him a secretive little smile, and his eyes took on an unusual glow. Unusual enough to make Minato shiver in spite of himself, despite being in the Dark Hour and getting used to all the craziness making its home in Tatsumi Port Island. "I won't spoil the surprise. But you'll meet 'her' soon. And then… well, we'll see."

Before Minato could say anything else, there was a shift in the Dark Hour. Not its end, or an approaching Shadow. But the light from the moon outside his window died down, plunging the room into long, deep shadows. Shadows so deep that even Pharos's eyes dimmed, his pale complexion clouded, and his odd choice of clothing being swallowed completely by the night.

All that remained of him was his voice. And even that felt like it was moving away. "So long, Big Brother. I'll come back soon."

Minato stepped back, trusting his other senses like he'd been taught. He wasn't feeling threatened, however, and he knew what had happened even before his eyes adjusted to the gloom. The Dark Hour lightened a little, the wave of darkness passing like clouds before the moon, and showed him what he expected.

Whether he'd pulled the same trick as before, or used the door this time, or was never there in the first place, Pharos was gone.

* * *

It was several days later that SEES gathered in the foyer before dinnertime, discussing their newest lead. Yamagishi Fuuka. Her disappearance, her background, and the events surrounding her at school. Yukari brought up what gossip she'd heard on the subject, more animated than she'd been in a while, and Junpei's conjecture was entertaining and entirely plausible, given how many other weird things they'd seen so far.

But there was something else on Minato's mind now. Not his Personas, since they'd calmed down earlier that morning – something his two senpai had been very diligent in checking up on him for. And not Pharos and his odd past. But rather a tension, a thrill that hummed in his veins like a second pulse, different from his Personas and putting him on edge like he was about to fight, and it had been growing since Junior had visited him.

Mitsuru-senpai and Akihiko-senpai were going over the different possibilities surrounding Yamagishi, and what the odds were of her surviving in Tartarus very long given that she didn't have any combat experience – after all, word around the block was that she tinkered with engines and radio transistors as a hobby. So unless she ran into a Shadow that had possessed a metalworks or a pickup truck, she'd be in trouble.

They'd just covered the details of Yamagishi's past when Ikutsuki came down the stairs. Conversation stopped as the administrator approached Minato, stopping within arm's reach. "I believe this belongs to you," Ikutsuki told him soberly, bringing up the familiar wooden case that had carried Minato's Evoker and presenting it to him with a staid sense of formality.

The teen bowed politely before placing it on the table and snapping the clasps open, lifting the lid to see his Evoker. Nothing about the form or structure of the gun had changed – it still had the left-handed grip and the iron sights. But it was the addition to the slide, the Greek script so delicately scribed into the metal, the solid feeling of being part of the group, that broke a slow smile across his face. He lifted the instrument gently, feeling his Personas curl and twist in response to their catalyst in his hands. He looked at both sides of the weapon, noticing that, like Akihiko-senpai's, the script was different on each side. However, the script on Minato's Evoker was shorter than that of his comrade's. "What does it say?" he asked finally.

"Alea iacta est," Ikutsuki replied simply.

Minato cocked his head in confusion since his self-education in Greek hadn't been so extensive as to offer an immediate translation, but Mitsuru gave a quiet chuckle. "Translated by Suetonius and attributed to Julius Caesar, as I recall."

Ikutsuki nodded. "That's correct, Mitsuru-san. Well done."

"It's very fitting," she replied, looking at Minato with an arched brow. "It means 'Let the die be cast,' a reference to how the dice are uncontrollable once they are thrown. It is a gambler's saying, and it originated from the days when Caesar crossed the Rubicon and marched on Rome."

Which began the reign of Julius Caesar and the rise of the powerhouse that was Ancient Rome, as Minato recalled from his history classes. It also signified passing the point of no return. Once thrown, the dice couldn't be called back to the hand, and it wasn't just dice that such a saying applied to. "Like the wild card in poker," he deduced with a look of newfound respect. "Thank you, Ikutsuki-san. I appreciate the sentiment."

"That is pretty awesome," Junpei commented from the side, looking on expectantly. "So where're ours?"

"Yours and Yukari-san's haven't been personalized yet," Ikutsuki replied smoothly, adjusting his glasses. "It shouldn't be long, however."

Junpei frowned at that. "Guess it's 'cause you're the leader, huh?" he mentioned to Minato without a trace of humour.

"Perhaps it just came more naturally," Minato responded, spinning his Evoker around before placing it back on the table carefully. "I doubt Ikutsuki-san has a list of sayings like these just lying around."

Junpei didn't look convinced. He'd been like that, Minato noted, since Mitsuru had invited him to the Student Council. Was he… jealous? "Yeah. I guess," Junpei grumbled to himself, looking away.

"Anyway," Akihiko cut in, cracking his knuckles, "we have work to do. Might be a chance to put your Evoker to good use, and we're not getting anything done sitting around here. The sooner we find out more about Yamagishi, and the sooner we get a handle on the Shadows, the better."

Minato nodded, picking his Evoker up and looking at the others. "I agree. In that case, let's get started." His questions and concerns could wait, for now, and Junior's odd comments about meeting women weren't important. Right now SEES had an objective. It was time to achieve it.

* * *

"I take it you've heard the news?"

It was a meaningless question. Shirato Jin knew what happened in Tatsumi Port Island before their most fervent news reporters did. Still, Jin turned and faced him, the light of his computer screen reflecting off his glasses. "Three more students have been reported missing," he replied. "Better than we could've hoped."

Pale lips spread in a smile, slow and wide like rigor mortis. "And the girl?"

"Missing for now. No one knows where she is. Might be she's still alive if they left her in that place."

"A triviality now. She is unimportant."

Jin shook his head, his eyes narrowing with a dark fire behind them. "She _was_ unimportant, but not anymore. Turns out that she might be bait for the Shadow killers."

Ahhh, yes. Them. The topic was something Jin had devoted his energy to since hearing about it. An empty passenger train crashing into the rail yard would have been useful for making people talk, he'd said, but the authorities at the scrap yard were confused by the extensive internal damage that couldn't be accounted for, not to mention how the train had gotten to where they'd found it when there was no records of the access codes being used to start the engine. Black 'tar' in corners and on the walls, scorch marks from something incredibly hot, and markings in some places that looked like scrapes from a blade. None of it had been reported on the news, but the clues had caught Jin's attention like a starving dog going after a bone. "Are you still thinking about the train incident?"

Jin brushed past the inquiry and got to what was obviously on his mind. "I think I have something. Yamagishi's disappearance has gotten the school student authorities sniffing around. By itself, it means nothing. But a few names have been popping up recently, and it's not a coincidence."

Coincidence or design, it didn't matter. Humans would attribute meaning to anything they didn't understand. It was… such a charming quality of theirs. Still, Jin didn't fixate on meaningless details. "Continue."

"I've been looking into anything unusual that might explain the strange incidents, and it seems the Kirijo have been more active than before." Jin didn't bother to hold back the hostility in his voice as he said the company's name. "More requests for student residency in Iwatodai have been filed, right around the time the first Shadow disappeared. Also, there's been a development on the site, and the timing's too close to be a fluke. Seems there's a new student in town, and he's pissed off a few of the locals. Enough that they've all mentioned him to us." At the responding nod, he continued. "He's on the same thread as Takeba Yukari, so it seems like the idiots who hate him are fans of hers. Their grudges aren't anything new, but this guy is – Arisato Minato."

Ahhh, the Kirijo. It was only a matter of time before they got involved again. A thoughtful frown crossed his lips when he heard the student's name, however. Arisato… "Who is he? How does he fit in with Takeba and the Kirijo?"

Jin shook his head and gestured to the screen, looking both irritated and curious. "Aside from being a new student, he's a ghost. No past records on the public networks, a few rumours from where he might have attended middle school, and an obituary of a family with the same last name ten years ago. But here's what's interesting." Jin's fingers flew across his keyboard, tapping keys and commands like raindrops on pavement. A new screen opened, and a photo of an unfamiliar face popped up. "Seems he's living in the same dorm as their chairman's kid, and he's apparently hanging around her and Sanada a lot. And his arrival corresponds with one of those residency transfer requests they made."

"Intriguing."

"The Shadow that attacked the Kirijo dorm went silent the same week he arrived," Jin pointed out. "And the train incident was left alone, like it was just an accident. It's not like the Kirijo to leave evidence uncovered, unless they know it can't be traced back to them. They haven't made a move since Aragaki ditched them – they haven't had the people or the talent. But this Arisato shows up and two Shadows are killed right after. And they have more people in the dorm that the brat lives in, so it could be they have more Persona-Users than before. Put those pieces together, and things start to make a lot more sense."

Sakaki Takaya looked at the picture, feeling a deep-seated tremble stir in his soul. It wasn't fear, but anticipation. Something about this student, his blue hair or guarded eyes or lax posture in the photo, made Hypnos take notice. Jin was right. It wasn't a coincidence. Events were moving forward, and this Arisato was part of them. What role did he play? Why was he important? Why now? So many question, and Takaya felt it spark his interest like so little could now.

"Find out what you can about him, and the Kirijo's movements," he told Jin unnecessarily. "It seems there are new players on the board. And it wouldn't do to let them parade about recklessly."

Jin nodded and turned to his computer, already typing away. Takaya stared at Arisato a moment longer. The poise. The eyes. This was no mere pawn they were looking at.

Yes. This one would prove very interesting.


End file.
